Fighter
by FlittingGemini
Summary: A tale of a girl who became a trainer out of a desire for revenge, and the events that led to her achieving it Rated T for intense violence and some swearing
1. Wheels Begin to Turn

**I don't own Pokemon, who does on this site?**

It is a shame to think that my story should be so tragic, yet so common that the world should be disillusioned to my tale. A tale of pain, of loss, and especially of the most tragic and easily overlooked- the guilt of those left behind.

_On the Cerulean Cape -1986_

The night was like any other on the Cerulean Cape for the small family that lived there. Balmy and temperate, with the sound of the waves sloshing against seacaves and white sandy beaches surrounding the modest cottage on the cove. It was the perfect place for relaxation and family matters, yet you also couldn't miss all the young trainers waltzing around because of the Water Pokemon Gym in the city. Ed pondered this ironic peace with a dour disposition as he remembered his mission in Cerulean and the reason why he moved his daughter and himself to the cape and out of the city in the first place. Ed walked up the stairs to his daughters' bedroom where she was sitting on her bed reading. His eyes misted as he looked upon her, all he had left after his wife and sons' murder.

Mere weeks ago, Ed his wife Mary and their two children were at the Cerulean park about an hour before dusk and were walking home. There were no other families around, just few people by themselves but they were walking away from them. The scene was an average one for the Cerulean parks- or so they thought.

"Darling shouldn't we have left earlier? I must admit I'm getting alittle worried." Mary said

"Don't worry dear." Ed said " It's only two blocks away, we can leave now and not even be in full darkness." She smiled and called Jason and Natalie to leave when a man in a dark hooded shirt and pants with a small red 'R' shaped pendant on his chest came up and pulled a gun on Mary.

"Well that's the great thing about twilight, it still is dark enough to offer camoflauge against witnesses." the man smirked and pointed the weapon at Mary, Jason and Natalie who were standing side by side. Ed's eyes hardened as he reached for his wallet and caught a look at the man. He had dirty blond hair that was long enough to flow from under the hood in front of his eyes. Ed looked at what he could see of the man's face and saw that his chin and jaw were very narrow. At this point the man grew violent and hit Mary across the face with the handle of his pistol. Mary and Natalie screamed and Jason roared as blood flew from her mouth and Ed completely snapped. Ed threw himself at the man who then pulled the gun in front of Ed's face. Natalie had been staring at the scene and at the man with wide, horrified eyes. Before he could finish pulling the trigger however, Mary jumped up in front of Ed and the man pulled the trigger at the same instant. Natalie and Jason screamed and Ed froze and stared as the bullet went in her head and she quickly dropped forward as a pool of blood began forming. Jason ran toward her and flung himself on her and the man lifted his gun as Ed screamed "NOOO!" and shot Jason just before he could touch the body of his mother. Natalie was now staring between her mother and brother on the ground and the man holding a smoking gun. The man with the dirty blond hair was staring at Mary and Jason's bodies, then he looked at Natalie staring between him and her family and said "It appears that twilight isn't so safe after all." Ed screamed in rage and ran at him but then Natalie yelled "NO DADDY!" and the man shot and mercifully missed as Ed jumped to the side. He then ran in the opposite direction despite Ed's screaming "COWARD!" as he scrambled after him, but then faltered and went to hug his daughter. The vivid memory faded as he walked past Natalie's room to ponder the situation with Rockets and maybe get an hour of sleep in his room. This reminiscing of that horrific night yanked him back to his recent assignment, and how he willingly volenteered to eradictae the Rockets in Cerulean. Well maybe his superior didn't tell him to eradicate them, but...Ed mused, he would just say they attacked him, its not like the Rockets would get any sympathy in the courts anyway. Ed thought about the rumor that the Rockets were holed up in an abandoned warehouse near the river across from the seacave, yes he would take the brigade into the warehouse and blow them to smitherines. Ed grinned malisciously at the thought-revenge. But, Ed knew that in the current environment the Rockets would come back, Cerulean was ideal for even simpleton grunts to run amok.

The Gym Leader was known to be young woman of great beauty and style regarding both fashion and Pokemon tactics. However in the recent months she was very distracted due to having her fourth daughter. Knowing this many young inexperienced trainers flooded the area expecting to overwhelm the leader in this stressful time and flich an easy badge. This fact and the allure of tourism to the beautiful beach area were the two main reasons that Team Rocket wanted to set up shop in the area. It was a calculated move on the Rockets part, the trainers in the area were inexperienced and couldn't stand up to dozens of grunts at a time, the Gym leader wasn't really a rallying type and her own mothering instincts might kick in if the Rockets got violent again, she might flee-not that Ed blamed her- and the tourists would provide surplus buisness for smuggling and Pokemon poaching- knowningly or not.

Ed made his decision as he walked past the hall when Natalie settled down after finishing reading, he would destroy these Rockets so that his and every other family in Cerulean would be safe! Ed reflected on the Rocket situation and the fact that the citizens and even the police force were oblivious to these facts, but fortunately Ed was of a vigilant tempermant.

His vigilance was both the start of a decade-long battle to keep Cerulean free, the dusk of the lives of a Mother, Brother, and Father and the dawn of a fighter.


	2. The Ill Fated Raid

**I don't own Pokemon**

**Something I've always wanted to do... This chapter is dedicated to Rocketlord6485, who was my first reviewer for my first multi-chaptered story!**

The silence of the forest surrounding the cottage on the Cerulean Cape was broken by a shrill cry. It was a shriek that jostled the common and also one quite uncommon Pokemon of that forest. However the echo faded after just a few trees and the rest of the forest lay undisturbed except for those Pokemon whose forays into the forest were always nightly.

"Natalie?" came Ed's call from down the hall of the cottage "Its alright dear one, daddy's here now."

"Oh dad, I just keep having really bad dreams about that terrible night! I know the bad man is still out there, I know he can still come after me." Natalie said as tears flooded her blue eyes.

Ed walked up to Natalie's bed and embraced her "Sweetheart, I feel awful about that night too, I failed to protect your mother and brother, I could have so easily lost you, but you should know me by now that I would do anything to protect you. I will protect you with even more vigilance after this tragety."

Natalie shifted at this "...Isn't it funny dad? In a weird sort of way? I was going to say something like you did. ...Don't you remember how I called your name and you twisted causing the bullet to miss you?" her eyes welled up even more as she said "I think about if I called Jason's name... would he have not run up to mom's body? Couldn't I have warned mom to dodge the gun like you had? Would they still be here? But NO!" She suddenly yelled as her eyes welled up " I had to f-freeze and only after m-mom and Jason where hurt by that, by that bad horrible man did I tell you to get away! It's my fault that Jason and mom aren't h-here I should have told them s-sooner!" Natalie pulled away from her father and curled up in a ball on the bed as her father's eyes hardened.

"Are you m-mad at me dad? I s-suppose it's only-" she was cut off as her father said in a raised but not loud or angry tone:

"Listen to me Natalie, the only one who is responsible for mom and Jason not being here is that evil man. I don't want you EVER blaming yourself for his evil deed." Ed softened his tone towards her and said " It all happened so fast for even me darling. In fact you should take some pride in the fact that you called me at all, it undoubtably saved my life. Me the police man got svaed by my 6 year old daughter!"

Natalie gave her father a watery smile that he returned, but it was quickly dulled as she said "I'm just so worried that I'll lose you. I know you work in dangerous missions because of your job."

Ed stared "What are you-"

"I heard you talking on the phone dad, it is a small cottage after all." Natalie said with a glower "I know its your job and you may even catch the evil man, but the truth is that I'll be waiting for you up here and you'll be in that dangerous mission of yours!"

Ed looked upon his daughter, both impressed and annoyed. No one ever accused Natalie of being slow on the uptake. He thought about it and came up with the decision. "Sweetheart, why don't you wait for me in the station while the raid is completed? Then I can pick you up when we are done?"

"I can be at the station? Wait can I be near the raid with you?" Natalie said hopefully

Ed shook his head "I can't do that dear one, you have to be safe and we can't have kids near the raid."

"Fine I'll be good." Natalie said

The next morning dawned misty and cool, Natalie was woken by her father. She followed her average routine by brushing her long sandy hair and teeth. She was done quickly for she wasn't the kind of girl to dilly-dally. They then walked down to the modest police station where she was given some nice tea by the officer Jenny who guarded the station with seven other officers and her Growlithe. Natalie patted the loyal Growlithe on the head and laughed as it licked her hand. It was the last time that Natalie saw her father or that officer Jenny and her Growlithe.

Jenny then proceeded to the main room with her Growlithe Hachiuma in tow to give intructions to the officers assembled. Ironically, most of the officers there, approximitly 20 of the 26 designated to go were not of her charge. Most were from the Saffron force. She knew this but she also was the type of leader who demanded respect from everyone, even if they were only temporarily under her jurisdiction. The Cerulean station was such a small station because crime wasn't very high in Cerulean yet. Only recently had the Rockets come in and started trouble. The police force were ill prepared and thus why part of the Saffron force and Ed, despite the fact that he was supposed to be on leave, were called in. She decided that if she wanted to protect Cerulean she would need a larger force and a sucessful raid today could get her that. She looked down at Hachiuma and he nodded up at her.

"Alright men we have gathered today to put an end to Rocket crime sprees in Cerulean before they get out of hand!" Jenny barked "We will now make sure that the Rockets sorely regret the day that they took what was most precious from one of my officers and that they were foolish enough to ever set foot in Cerulean!"

The men cheered and Ed smiled at the thought of the Rockets being punished at his own hands and at the hands of his colleages. Ed also was able to appreciate how well Jenny was able to motivate the officers gathered, he knew that the Saffron police, while not corrupt, had gotten lax over the years. Their presense was enough at this point to keep the Rockets underground, but Ed knew that this wouldn't last. The Rockets were getting bolder, he knew from experience he thought bitterly. That man's face, or what he saw of it, haunted his nightmares just like his daughter. He took perverse pleasure in the thought of the Rockets being cornered in the warehouse that they had taken residence in, Ed knew they had them out numbered and had better equipment. With this thought he said "Yes! Lets hunt them down like the holed up, cowardly rabbits they are!"

"Now take it easy Ed." Jenny said warningly "We don't know exactly what kind of equipment they have so we will proceed carefully. I appreciate your zeal however, I myself will work hard to make sure that the man you tried to describe to me is brought to justice." Hachiuma barked affirmitivley

Ed nodded but he knew that he would reach the man first.

The warehouse that the rockets were holed up in was like any you would think of that crimminals would hide in. It was located on the outskirts of Cerulean near the river, by the sea cave. The entrance was a solid, if rusted at the edges, steel door with most of the entire buildings windows being either broken with fragments of glass left in the openings, or boarded up haphazardly. The officers set up a perimiter first. They scoped out the windows as to make sure no Rockets were waiting to snipe them and had Hachiuma sniff around to make sure no one was outside. After determining that no one was at the windows the officers split into two brigades. Squad Tau, led by Jenny would storm the front of the building by destroying the front lock with a small amount of expolsives and charging in with the SWAT vests and shields provided by the station and would dig in and pick off Rockets as well as survey their Hachiuma had a vest. They would then call squad Epsilon, led by Ed, to demolish the back door of similar material with the same amount of explosives. The two squads would surround the Rockets and subdue the Rockets with as few officer causulties as possible.

**Team Tau's POV**

"All clear proceed to set explosives for front door." officer Paul said into a walker

"Rodger that, proceeding with planting." officer Saito responded. Saito then crept up to the door and placed the bomb on the lock. Backing away 15 feet, he then finished the countdown of the timer 3...2...1... BOOM!

"Go! Go! Go! Pull up your shields and get in there!" Jenny yelled while charging inward.

The Rockets seemed to be startled but still somewhat organized. As soon as they saw Jenny and the Tau squad enter the door and try to hide behind the many crates and barrels the place held they began firing pistols that the SWAT shields mercifully deflected but then a click and an earshattering bang came from a corner, a man with greasy dirty blond hair and a pointed chin fired a shot gun at Jenny which shattered the shield and tore up her entire left side. She was dead before she hit the floor and a puddle was forming when Hachiuma roared and the officers screamed with rage and shot two Rocket grunts on the other side taking on squad Epsilon then released three Drowzee that flung Epsilon's shields out of the officers hands with telekinesis as grunts shot at them. Officer Daisuke saw Hachiuma run toward the grease-ball and released his Rhydon Isamu. "Isamu! We are going to take care of the Rockets on the right! You go crush that small group isolated on the left!" Isamu nodded and charged at the group. When one of the Rockets in that small group shot at Isamu, Isamu threw the man against the fortified concrete wall with a sickening 'crack'. The other two released two Golbat, but Isamu quickly ripped the wings off of both the leeches. Daisuke turned to shoot a grunt that was aiming at Don who was busy trying to hit a grunt behind crates that was controlling the Drowzee and didn't see what became of Isamu's rampage. "Dammit! We need to regroup!" yelled officer Daisuke "Wait team Epsilon is in! Stay in your groups men! We have them split up just like planned! We'll mow them down now!"

Hachiuma charged past an officer talking on a black box who was also quickly shot down from a sniper on a platform above. Hachiuma turned around and quickly roasted the sniper with an incinerating Flamethrower and then ran toward the man with the bang death stick without even paying attention to the sneaky shot's scream. Before he could get further one of the Drowzee stood in his path and began to try to lift him, Hachiuma was too fast though for the psychic grip and jumped onto the Drowzee with a vicious bite attack around the Drowzee's neck and threw it down with a snap. By this time Hachiuma looked up to see a good partner of his mistress get shot down by a blond-haired man. Hachiuma snarled and launched a Flamethrower at him that burnt his clothes and torso. The man screamed and lifted the bang death stick and shot him. With a yelp of pain and a final thought of his mistress, Hachiuma fell.

The officers were in a fury as officer Paul shot a Rocket who was trying to climb on another platform to snipe the officers just as the man with the greasy hair shot another shell at the forefront officer. The shot cracked the shield and sent the man to the ground as the man with greasy blond hair and the last three Rocket grunts shot John and Daisuke with pistols. The officers of the two squads joined fire and upped the assult as the Rockets retreated out the back door, they tried to run out the door by Isamu was hysterical and almost ran the others over as he tried to chase them too so they had to move aside as the Rhydon chased the retreating vehichle West. The men returned inside and saw that Epsilon had fared about the same as Tau. The men proceed to collect their comrades' bodies to take them home.

**Team Epsilon's POV**

The squad had run around the building to the back door and were waiting for the clear to break in the back. It had only been about half a minute when they heard gunshots from inside along with screams. Ed had had it and told officer Makoto to set the charge. 3...2...1... BOOM!

When they ran in however the Rockets were now somewhat prepared and shot at them before they could get their shields raised. Makoto and Jack where shot down before Koji raised his gun and shot down three of the Rockets in quick succession. The Epsilon squad charged forward and Koji released his Sycther Kazu as Ed saw a Rocket get shot down from a platform above them by an officer across the warehouse. Ed was grateful but his irritation increased when three grunts released Drowzee and a Golbat and Kazu only got in one swipe at a now dead Golbat before Kazu was shot. One of the Drowzee then held up officer Rando in the air as a grunt shot him. His men flew into a rage and mowed down two of the grunts that were controlling the Drowzee, their rage was their downfall as the grunts quickly retaliated and shot down two more of his men. They all jumped behind crates and the like and surfaced sporadically to fire back. When Jim peeked up to see an oppourtunity to fire he was shot in the head by one of the grunts, Ed was getting panicked now, but he had to try to stay calm and work out a plan, they were stationed near the door so the Rockets would be fools to try to go out this way, then again Ed mused, this entire mission was foolish, but he had to try to stay alive for Natalie... Natalie, the thought of his dear daughter inspired him despite the panic and gunfire, he would do this for her. Suddenly he jumped from behind the crate rolled on the floor comando style and shot down two grunts facing the opposite direction before they could even react. Three of his grunt buddies turned around but he was already behind the barrel just as he saw a flash of orange fur coming closer and heard the grunts shot at at him. He heard a couple of clicks and an oath and jumped up and mowed down two of the grunts and Charlie behind him shot the third as he was distracted by him. Ed turned to thank him when a spurt of blood came from Charlie's chest as he fell to the ground dead. Ed spun around and was faced by the bastard who murdered his family, he screamed and raised his weapon to gun down the bastard but he was too slow and was shot in the chest and fell to his knees. His vision swam and he saw a flash of orange fur again before seeing a picturesque view of his family happy and whole, and he was no more.

Officer Tokutaro had shot down another grunt when out of the corner of his eye he noticed that the blond-haired Rocket leader had shot Ed and was now gathering what was left of the Rockets and ran out the door. One of his fellows yelled to go after them and they were about too if they didn't have to avoid the charging Rhydon. By the time they all ran out there, both the Rhydon and the vehichle were gone in a cloud of dust. Tokutaro called the station "Officer Alan come in. Over"

"Rodger Tokutaro, what happened, did you suceed? Over."

"No. We have to bring home 15 bodies of fine men and the bastards escaped. Over"

"... We'll be there shortly Alan, someday someone will catch these Rockets and they will pay."


	3. Language of Unity

**I don't own pokemon, I wonder if I'll forget to do this eventually?...**

Natalie had been waiting at the station for an hour all the while her stomach was getting tighter and tighter knots. She just knew that something had gone wrong. After turning this thought over in her head for the dozenth time she got up to talk to the officer. As she walked through the cubicles up to the officer the phone rang, when the officer picked it up and talked into it for only a instant his face fell into one of the saddest expressions Natalie had ever seen on a grown-up. In fact it reminded her of the same haunted look that her dad had the night that they reported mom and Jason's murders. At the sight of the officer putting the phone down on the desk and a tear running down his cheek, her heart started to pound furiously. She turned from the weeping officer that had not yet looked up and began to run toward the door. The second officer was holding his head in his hands as she ran past the desks and out the door. In an instant he stood up from the desk and called "Wait! Some of the Rockets escaped! You're not safe out there come back!"

"I'm not staying here! I-I'll become a trainer, then no one will ever be able to hurt me!" Natalie sobbed

The officer continued to run after her but she soon came to the river by the sea cave and began to swim across. "Dammit." said the officer "Come back the cave is forbidden to citizens! There's dangerous Pokemon you could be killed!" His call faded as she ran into the cave. He followed her into the cave and called out to her as she ran further in. The echo resounded across the cavern and just as he started to give chase however a wild Rhydon appeared and used a small Earthquake to scare the officer away. Unfortunately the cavern couldn't take it and collapsed all around the Rhydon and officer.

Natalie was only a small way into the cavern when she heard a roar and felt a rumbling when she heard some rocks fall near the front of cavern and some fell close in her section of the cave. One flew down and smacked her against the wall. She pulled herself up against the wall as she tasted the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. Her lip was split. the rocks ceased to fall around her and Natalie focused on the prickling feeling in her gums on the right side of her mouth. She was about to check if her teeth were falling out when she heard a short yell and ran back to the entrance. She was about to run up to the trapped Rhydon when aother Rhydon appered next to her. She was very startled at first, until she saw some bullet holes in it's hide. She gasped it could only be Isamu! He was at the raid! Natalie ran up and hugged him and she gave him a hug. Isamu gave a friendly grumbling sound that Natalie knew was his version of laughter. he released her as he walked up to the point where the yells and vae-in had originated.

The officer barely got out a yell when he was crushed by boulders weighing half a ton. The Rhydon wasn't so lucky either the boulders kept falling as he pushed them away and a large one fell on it's leg, crushing it. The Rhydon roared in pain as the rocks of he cavern ceased to fall, he cried out for his kind for help when lo and behold another Rhydon he had never seen before wobbled up to him. This Rhydon hadn't lived in the cave the wild Rhydon noticed, he had the demeanor of one that had been trained by a human, and that had also recently lost something dear. The human, the wild Rhydon thought but it wasn't his concern. "Will you help me? I tried to scare away the human but the rock from the ceiling fell and killed him and trapped my leg."

"Yes I will help you. This is my home now and you are now my family. Bu I must do one more thing in honor of my dead friend and master. I must unblock the entrance of rocks for this human offspring so she can leave. She is too small to be here." a Rhydon with strange holes in him stated.

"Great Arceus do those holes hurt?" the wild Rhydon said as his eyes widened

"They were given to me by the same humans who killed my friend." "They are why I am here now" the Rhydon said

"Humans seem to be nothing but trouble, why are you helping the young one?" the wild Rhydon said but froze suddenly as a young human appeared from the darkness of the cave and stood next to the new one. He gave a small growl that didn't even get a reaction from her, she seemed to overwhemled to care about her surroundings. But he figured that he didn't look very scary by the way he was trapped, so he ignored her and focused his attention back on the newcomer as he said

"Because I have been to the human place with my master where she and her family lived. They were kind humans and were both our friends. I was at the attack today and her father was killed by the same men who killed my dear friend Daisuke." "I like to think that Daisuke would be happy with me to help her." Isamu stated

"Yes that would be honorable." he began to push some of the rocks near him away. "Help me get out and I'll help you with your task and take you to my friends. Should we tend to your wounds first though?" he asked.

"No I'll be alright, my rock skin makes them an irritant. Thank you though, what is your name?" Isamu asked as he began to shift the rocks.

"My name is Doho, and she does seem to be from kind human stock." Doho said as he observed Natalie trying to lift a small rock away from those that trapped him despite the blood dripping down her front. "Only a few more ah-!" he suddenly cried out as he shifted his leg.

"Oh no are you ok Rhydon?" Natalie said worried as she noticed his wince of pain.

Doho gave a small grin and friendly growl as he untwisted his leg and shoved off the last big boulder. Doho stood up ignoring his sore leg, and proceeded to the front of the cavern and began shifting the rocks from the entrance. Isamu soon joined him and even Natalie tried to give assistance, that is until Isamu shifted a big boulder that rolled toward her and nearly squished her. She dodged the rock and Isamu pushed her away until he and Doho cleared the entrance. When the rocks were clear and the sunlight filtered through the entrance it dazzled Natalie, Isamu and Doho. Isamu then led Natalie out of the cave and pointed her up towards a narrow field between the mountain and the river. Natalie knew what he meant, that was the direction of her family's cottage, but she knew she was only going to go home for supplies and to clean herself up. She hugged Isamu who hugged her back gently as possible but then he turned back into the cave with his new friend. Natalie turned and started Northward through the field and pondered her life now set out before her.

"I am now wild like Isamu." she said aloud to herself "He and I have now lost everything and this is our life now. Travelling for me, and cave-dwelling for him. With this life I will run away from my sadness and become strong enough to get back at the mean people, staying here would remind me of how helpless I am. No more... no more will I be weak."

She continued at a steady pace as the sun set and the grassy field turned into an open dirt road expanse before a forest. She knew the cottage was only a little ways into the trees. She was very hungry now and sped up her pace to her temporary shelter when among the trees near her family's property she saw a small flame in the darkness. She paused and considered leaving but she ad no supplies, so she knew she had to continue, maybe she could spy on the thing first and find out what it was? So she sped up to the house and as she got closer she observed that the flame revealed a sillouette of a Pokemon next to the house. She knew that she was in no state to fight anything, but she also thought that most wild Pokemon would avoid human places so this one must be trained. With this reasoning she gathered her courage and crept closer to the sillouette, as she approached it turned jerkily towards her. It was a Charmander! It gave a small wimper and shyed away from her, that was when Natalie was close enough to see bruises over a fair amount of it's body and a shallow cut on it's chest. She immediately felt sorry for it. It looked as scared and beat up as she did, she wanted to help this poor Charmander.

"Hey there little... buddy" she said as she crept cautiously over to it, she wasn't sure if it was a boy or girl as there were no distinguishing marks, but she was determined to continue "I see that you are hurt, I am too, would you like to come with me into this house and I can try to fix us both up and get food?"

The Charmander whimpered longingly, but didn't move. It seemed that it wasn't sure it could trust her yet.

"Please Charmander, I... I just lost my whole family in a very short time, I can't stay here but I need a partner." as Natalie said the word 'partner' the Charmander shifted closer. Natalie was encouraged by this and felt a thrumming in her heart and continued "I don't know what you've suffered through my friend, but we can help each other." We'll both become strong." Natalie finished but backed away as the Charmander grolwed and shook it's head at the word strong.

"I don't understand. Don't you want to be partners?" Natalie asked, confused at the abrupt change of attitude. "We can be strong together."

The Charmander calmed and stared at her again and gave a soft growl in it's own name. She didn't know how, but she understood why the Charmander calmed at her words. "You have always been asked to be strong immediately, with no effort from your trainer right?" Natalie said as her words seemed to come from a place deep within her heart that she hadn't even known existed until now. "You..you moved at the word 'partner', you've always been a slave." The Charmander nodded sadly

"Well no more! I will be your friend!" Natalie barked. The Charmander was startled and fell on it's butt at the outburst but she continued anyway, the feeling in her heart growing.

"I need to be stronger too Charmander! I can't do it without you! We-we were meant to meet. We come from humans and Pokemon that is true, but something binds us, we both have been hurt by bad people and if we join together and train together we can become so strong that one day we will face them and make them regret the day they hurt us!" Natalie finished with aplomb. The Charmander stood up slowly and suddenly growled out a word, now it was Natalie's turn to be startled she thought for sure that she could understand him, for the voice suddenly became distinctly boyish, as though an unknown barrier had been broken.

"What did you say?" Natalie asked again, she wanted to be sure.

"Friend."

"I can understand you Charmander." Natalie said as the shock of the fact was rapidly being replaced with happiness, a happiness she had not felt since her mother and brother had been killed.

"Yesrr." the Charmander said as he approached her and licked her hand. "Chriend nowrr."

She could barely fathom it, but in the intense moment of confession she remebered her heart thrumming and how she could understand him a little, she still felt shocked, but the feeling was there though it had now faded somewhat. She could still understand him though, so she knew a bond had been formed. She thought that she might as well use the situation to aid them so she tried to break the ice some more.

"Hey Charmander lets go into my old home and clean us up and get food, maybe we can talk some more?" she thrummed merrily.

"Char! Charmanood!" Charmander trilled excitedly.

She only understood the last bit, it appeared that they both needed to focus now in order to speak the same Natalie mused. Never the less she brought him into the house and gathered bandages and ointments from the bathroom and tried to clean them both up the best she could. When they both had been bandaged up to the best of her ability (which was still somewhat lacking, but adequate) and she had enjoyed the prickly sensation of ridding herself of her loose baby teeth, she began to prepare some rice for them. Natalie was by no means at all a master chef, but rice was very simple and she prepared a large amount for the both of them as she knew that she was definitley hungry. As they devoured the first half of their bowls Natalie tried to focus again on the feeling that she had felt earlier. The strange stirring in her heart, the she felt it, it was very faint, but since she felt it she proceeded to ask Charmander "Hey Charmander, since we want to be friends do you want a nickname so I don't have to call you by creature name?"

Charmander looked up from his bowl with flecks of rice still on his face and said. "Cha-I like thatrr, whatder name?"

"I don't know." Natalie growled she looked around the living space for ideas and her eyes rested upon a green pillow of her brothers' that had her favorite cartoon charcter on it.

"How about Taz?" Natalie asked and rumbled at the same time. Without being able to distinguish between when the rumbling started and the asking stopped.

"Chaes. Mandat good namerr." Taz laughed

Natalie laughed along with him. It was so fun that the two of them didn't stop for a couple of minutes. When they finally had to catch their breath they stopped laughing, although they continued giggling for a minute until Natalie growl-talked-

"Okay Taz we have to go to bed, we can only stay here one night, and we have to pack in the morning for our journey."

" Charou not bossder of me." Taz winked and continued "Don'r you humerss havder be olderr to train?"

Natalie frowned, she hadn't thought of that yet. But she remembered why she wanted to begin training in the first place and her heart stirred again as she rumbled." We have a more loving partnership tahn many of the older trainers out there could ever hope for Taz." Taz shifted and adorned a serious look and nodded so she continued, "I have a small amount of money for a Pokeball and a book that will enable us to live off the wildplants. We will grow stronger together, but it will be you stay by me and we can help each other with our revenge?"

Taz shook his head "Pokemon don't havrr such chareas." My charld charinerr didn't ker mander forrr a week. He is dead to me. I love you nowrr" Taz finished with resoultion.

"Thank you Taz. I wish that I could forget my troubles as easily as you. But it would be an insult to my family to do so." Natalie growled.

Taz nodded, assured her that he would help her and they settled down to sleep. This night was the start of a partnership that brought much hope and love to two creatures that sorely needed it.

**AN: No this is not you're run-of-the-mill corny special partnership. I took a significant idea from a great childrens novel for their conversation and union: The language that everyone can understand. Bonus points if you know where that's from... If you can guess or not, i'll still try to work fast and well for the next chapter.**

**AN: Yes I did like the prickly sensation of pulling out my baby teeth when I was a kid, yep I'm crazy. :)**


	4. The Not So Graceful Escape

**I don't own Pokemon or any other famous literature you may see.**

**Sorry for the delay and for the record, no I don't care when certain books were published, this is fanfiction! LOL**

The next day dawned sunny and windy as Natalie and her Charmander Taz slowly roused from their respective beds. The reason they were sleeping seperately is becuase Natalie had found out very quickly last night that Taz laying on her bed with her would lead to singe marks and if she hadn't quickly gotten Taz to jump off the bed she would have had to put out a small fire. So after finding a coat made of fire-resistant material that belonged to her brother and setting it on a pillow for his bed, they both had settled down to sleep. As Natalie roused herself, the enormity of the whole situation was starting to dawn on her. She had no family anymore, well except for Taz she smiled to herself, and she didn't know where to start on her new journey. She knew that she didn't even have the resources to properly travel right now to a regular training regiment area, or especially a hazardous area that her friends at school were always dreaming of going to. The incident with her teeth and temple in Cerulean Cave was a good indicator of that. "No" she said aloud as Taz perked up "I can't be negative-I gotta pull through." Natalie walked over to Taz's makeshift bed and patted him on his smooth head as Taz growled contentedly. Natalie straitened up and walked around the room and began planning what she could.

"I already know that I have some scratch around here for a Pokeball for you and we can pack lots of food and water and comfy clothes and Oh! My dad has this great book that lists edible plant life around all the regions, we'll grab that!"

Natalie said all this excitedly as she put her favorite warm blanket on the bed to be taken with them and walked to her closet and grabbed a pair of denim jeans and a pair of shorts of the same material along with a purple T-shirt with a kitten, a bigger green T-shirt with a red logo on it that used to be Jason's, a long-sleeved, baggy burgundy cotton shirt as well as some underwear. "Wait, it might get cold too I'll need a big sweater!" So she raced to her parents bedroom and when she opened the door her nose was suddenly filled with their scent. She froze, this scent was the last remainder of her parents, the weight of the fact that her entire family was gone and Taz was all she had left threatened to crush her. Taz had walked in behind her and she turned around and hugged Taz tightly as tears fell down her cheeks. Taz was startled at her sudden sadness and quickly began to lick away her tears. Natalie let out something that sounded like a hiccup and a giggle and when Taz was done he said: "Friendrrr, it charill be charight." Natalie looked up at him with watery eyes and nodded. Taz continued however "We chas partnerrrs mandill get strong! Mander willrr destroy echar man!"

Natalie, for the second time in just that morning, was struck by the implications of her life and the journey she was set to start. They did have to be strong and Taz's reminder of why she was in this cruddy premedicate, no predicament filled her with resolution and a lot of rage. Natalie stood up and growled "You're right Taz, we'll get the stuff we need and leave today. Although I may be young and a new trainer, I still have a training system for us that we can use to get stronger than anyone and also stand apart!" Natalie stormed over to the closet. _"I need something to remember them both by."_ she thought as she grabbed a dark green sweater with a college logo on it from her dad and then looked in her mom's dresser and found a small, ornate metal cross neclace on a sturdy chain. Pleased at her discovery she took both, motioned for Taz to follow her and closed the door behind her.

After she returned to her room she laid all of the clothing in the growing pile on her un-made bed, then proceeded to put on some outdoor clothes of her own and finished by clipping on the ornate Cross and racing down the stairs with a just as excited Taz at her they got to the bottom, Taz ran towards the kitchen but Natalie simply sauntered over in the opposite direction to the bookself and began searching for the wild edibles book on the bottom shelf. Taz whined from the kitchen and she rolled her eyes and called "Taz we can't leave until we have something that will allow us to live off the land! Especially with your appetite so come and help me, then I'll make us something!" Taz sulked over to her but when she rubbed under his jaw he gave a small toothy grin and ran back to the kitchen. Natalie rolled her eyes but then she heard several loud clangs, slams and a shatter. She jumped two feet in the air and ran to the kitchen to find Taz searching through cupboards with a pile of pots and pans all over the floor. Natalie had a vein throb in her temple as she demanded-

"Taz! What the devil are you do-Oh!" she stopped as she saw that Taz was pulling out two big bags of rice from a cupboard and placed it in a pile with some oranges that used to be in what was now a shattered porcelain bowl on the floor. He continued rumaging as Natalie stood there shell-shocked at the damage her Charmander has caused in about three seconds. "_Well_," she mused "_I know I'll save money because I sure can't take him into any resturaunt, he would destroy the place_!"

Taz suddenly stopped and turned to her "Hey! Yoder say chaelp us leaverrr! Go gmander charook. I gander food forr us." Taz barked but ended with the same toothy grin. Natalie jumped at his sudden order but nodded and walked back to the family room.

Upon looking at the bookshelf from further away she was able to glance at every shelf of the bookshelf-the edible book was on the third one! "Curses." she said "It would have to be that high up, well at least this will be good practice for climbing the mountains of Kanto and Johto." Natalie stepped onto the lamp table beside the shelf and began to climb carefully, making extra sure not to shift her weight to much as to make the bookshelf sway. She heard another slam and dragging sound from the kitchen. The sound of the slam made her shudder slightly as the whole bookshelf rattled in propotion to her weight and gravity. "I know this is dangerous even though I'm being careful, but I still need that book." she kept telling herself this as she finally reached the third shelf. She gazed at the dusty shelf and it's tomes as her eyes fell on a small rectangular box-it was her late grandfather's G-note hamonica! "_I want this_!" Natalie thought as her heart raced with excitment. "_I won't be able to train constantly, when I need a break I'll learn to play this!_" Natalie smiled and tucked the harmonica into the elastic of the purple shorts she was wearing and continued to inch toward the opposite end of the bookshelf where the wild edible book rested.

"_While I'm at it, if I going to perform stunts like this for a book, I'll also take my copies of _The Arabian Nights,Tales of Beedle the Bard _and_ Count of Monte Cristo." The first two were up in her room she knew but _"Count of Monte Cristo_" was on the same shelf as the edible guide. The bookshelf continued to creak yet hold steady as she reached "_Count of Monte Cristo_" off the middle of the shelf and threw it on the couch about five feet away. The shelf wobbled dangeroulsy as she threw it and then she jumped when she heard a small clang from the kitchen. "_This is getting to precocious...no precarious-whatever I just have a few..more...inches."_ Natalie reasoned to herself as she inched sideways on the shelf as she heard the clunking of what sonded like someone climbing on a counter. She ignored it and finally reached and grabbed the wild edibles guide and turned to throw it onto the couch. In the same instant as her throw she heard an almighty crash that sounded like an entire shelf of glasses had been shattered from the kitchen. Natalie jumped and shuddered at the crash and heard a cry of "I sorrrr mistress!" from the kitchen.

Suddenly there was a creaking, groan-like sound from the shelf and wall she was on. Her world was suddenly titled on axis as the shelf she was clinging to started falling strait towards the ground! Natalie screamed as some books fell from the shelf and she hung on for dear life. A cry of "Friend NO!" was muffled as the shelf got closer to the ground with books falling all around her, then suddenly she felt a huge jar as the top shelf landed with a huge 'thump' on the back of the sofa. In the same instant the jar had caused her to lose her hold on the shelf and she fell on her back while heavy books rained down upon her as she curled up and tried to cover her head. A heavy tome fell on the side of her head and she experienced a sudden complete blackness and the once clear cries of "Mistress! My friend!" became suddenly muffled. She didn't know how long she laid there until she heard the shufflings of books and the cry of "Friend, Friend, Mistress are you ok?" Becoming gradually clearer.

Natalie groaned as she felt herself being pulled from under the books and shelf by a small, warm and clawed grip. The daylight streaming through the windows was bright after the blackness of getting hit and being under the bookshelf. "What happened?" Natalie dazedly asked.

"Oh my dear friend I'm so sorry!" Taz cried. "I must have startled you when I was looking for food! Please don't release me for this mistake, please!" Taz begged as he began to weep.

Natalie was coming to, although she still felt disoriented she knew she had to pull through and reassure Taz that she was alright. "Taz my beloved friend you just saved me, why would I ever release you after this loyal act?" Natalie growled as she sat up and looked at him. "Thank yo-ungh." Natalie groaned, her head still felt a bit fuzzy.

"Mistress should I call the human healers?" Taz asked anxiously.

"No, no I just need to stay awake and get an icepack. Brbrbrbrbr." she said and then shook herself. "I can get it, you can't reach it anyway Taz dear. At least not without causing another crash." Natalie said with a friendly grin as she staggered to the kitchen with Taz tailing her closely looking both worried and sheepish. When Natalie walked into the kitchen she had to avoid shards of glass that seemed to be spread all over the floor as well as the pile of food and scattered pots and pans. She turned to Taz as she reached in the icebox for the icepack, "Taz we will need a way to carry all that food, please go get some capsules from the drawer by the sink. I'll get my big water jug and my favorite square-shaped, clear waterbottle-oh! There's the jug!" She pointed to a large red jug with an American pizza company logo on it. "_This stupid thing has been in my family since before Jason was born, now it will finally be useful._" Natalie mused. She then noticed spots of blood on the floor when Taz walked over to get it and sprang into action- "Taz! You're hurt, is it the glass? It is I'll get the first aid kit, we should bring that anyway." she said in a rush. Natalie motioned for Taz to come over despite his protests that he was fine, she opened the kit and pulled out anti-bacterial cream and a band-aid and set to work on Taz's foot.

Taz had a small shard of glass in his foot and yelped with pain when Natalie quickly yanked it out. "Char arrr do-" Taz protested but she quited him and put the salve and band-aid on his foot. She then grabbed the jug from Taz, staggered up and tip-toed around the glass to reach into the icebox to retrive her favorite waterbottle. When she opened the door not only did she find the bottle but the bags of trail mix her family had gotten addicted to. _"Brilliant!"_ Natalie thought excitedly _"This will be great for us, I can keep it seperate from the other supplies in my bag for quick eating!"_ Natalie quickly snagged the mix and creeped toward the sink and filled up the jug and her waterbottle in the sink and put all the rice and oranges in the capsule but she knew it wouldn't be enough. She looked in the cupboards for more and felt euphoric at the sight of the almost full box of ramen and four cans of green beans on the shelf. She lightly tossed the cans toward the capsule and lifted up the ramen and suddenly felt another wave of dizziness at the extertion and swayed. Taz was looking along worriedly, but she pushed it away and continued dragging the box, they needed it. She pushed the box near the capsule and shoved it, the water-tight jug and the four cans in with the rice and fruit. She pushed the button and it became a small pill again in a puff of smoke.*

As she carried the pill and her water out of the kitchen with Taz at her heels she was started to get worried, she needed all this stuff, but how could she carry it? "_Well I'll figure it out, but first... wait there is a canvas-like backpack in the closet, how big is it?" _She rushed off and found it buried among shoes- a green canvas back pack about the size of her back! "_Can I carry it?_" She looked at all the pockets and took out the garbage inside them and decided that this was what she needed. She shouldered it and began walking upstairs. "Gasp! I almost forgot the book that I almost got crushed for!" Natalie exclaimed as Taz cocked his head. She raced to the couch and dived under the collapsed bookshelf and began digging through books. "Mistreder chat are chou look-" but before he could finish there came a cry of "Eureka!" as Natalie emerged with the edible book and a smaller one. "Ok Taz, lets go get packed!" and she raced upstairs without waiting for Taz. As he shook his head he thought he heard a human engine roaring from nearby and he raced upstairs toward her.

"Ok so we have four books at the bottom, then my blanket, my clothes folded the way mom does it in the middle, followed by trail mix and waterbottle on top. I'll put the capsule and my harmonica in the front pocket along with-" Natalie was halted in her jabbering when Taz ran up and cried in a panic- "Friend mander char char humans nearrr!" Natalie heard the last part and became just as distraught as Taz, she began to lift the bag but staggered. "Umph! Alright we gotta go but I can't lift this."

"Mistress werr mander _go_!" Taz trilled.

"Alright, I'll get rid of some of the books." Natalie said as she dug out _"Arabian Nights_" and "_Count of Monte Cristo_" in the same instant they heard a door slam out by the drive. She threw the books on her bed and re-shouldered the bag with more sucess as Taz peeked out the window. Suddenly they heard deep male voices:

"Why the hell would she be here?" said a deep hostile voice.

"Because idiot, she's a kid and she has no where else to go!" the voice that said this was both oily and deep, and eerily familiar voice that Natalie remebered from the night her mom and brother were killed-her family's killer!

"We gotta go Taz! We'll take the back door into the woods and make a run for town!" Natalie said in a frantic whisper. They both ran down the stairs and were almost to the back door when they heard the same oily voice. "It's locked, break it down." There was a sudden sound of a Pokemon being released. Hit-mon-CHAN! The front door shattered from a punch and Natalie and Taz flattened themselves against the wall. Soon they heard the sound of boots stomping through the family room. "This place is a dump!" said the deep voiced man "It looks like a tornado hit this place."

"What it looks like is that someone else has been here before us." said the oily voiced man with a hint of menace. "Someone I presume, who also wanted this family dead. Sandile! come out and help Hitmonchan look for clues!" There was a ding and a flash, suddenly Natalie and Taz heard the scuttling of feet going up the stairs. "I'm staying down here, all of you go look around."

Natalie and Taz knew it was now or never if they were to run, so they crept slowly along the hallway by the kitchen door. She slowly opened the door and Taz snuck out first. When Natalie was trying to slip through the door she got a glimpse of the family room from an angle and saw the same dirty blond haired man that killed her family. Her heart was pounding as she backed away and tried to slide out the door, her bag suddenly shifted and made a rustling noise, fortunately it was at the same moment that a loud 'clunk' came from upstairs and he didn't notice her. She shut the door as quitely as humanly possible as she and Taz ran off the porch and into the woods towards town.


	5. SweetBitter

**Who cares if I don't own Pokemon? No one does on this site!...LOL**

Natalie and Taz were frantically running down an incline of a forested slope away from the cottage. Natalie was already struggling with the extertion with her new burden included but for now the adrenaline was pushing her and letting her keep pace with Taz. The thought of how close the greasy jerk was to catching her was fueling the panic and by extension, her adrenaline as they raced towards Cerulean. The forest seemed to be getting less dense as Natalie and Taz finally had to slow to an exhausted stumble and slumped against an oak tree to catch their breath.

"I think... we should be- *cough* far enough away from the cottage... and the scary men." Natalie said between trying to catch her breath as Taz weakly nodded in agreement. Natalie then looked around to try to figure out where they were. They seemed to be on the fringes of the forest and there was a wide expanse of field set out before them, however in the distance she could see a bridge going toward Cerulean. She had never walked on the bridge by herself but she knew that there were trainers on it. She wasn't sure if Taz could handle all of them by himself but they had to try, they had to get a Pokeball for Taz, not to mention away from Cerulean in general.

"Hey Taz do you think you can handle all of those trainers? We have to go down that bridge to get to town." Natalie said

"Norr I nander trainrr very munder. Let gorr dowder char field." Taz growled while pointing to a narrow stretch of field by the river. Natalie couldn't see its end so she assumed that it went strait to town.

The two of them stood up and Natalie brushed off the dirt from her pants and they continued down the path towards the narrow stretch. They both walked for about five minutes and came upon the field by the river and soon spotted a lone trainer near the edge. he spotted them too and called out. "Hey there, are you avoiding the bridge too?"

"Yeah I'm not sure that Taz can handle all of the trainers by himself so we're taking the back way." Natalie said as they approached.

The trainer looked confused and inquired "What back way? This field ends at a dead end of a rushing river. It doesn't go to town."

Natalie's eyes widened and Taz looked surprised, then sheepish. Natalie said "Well... maybe I can just ask them to let me pass-"

She was cut off by the other trainer laughing "Why do you think that I'm hiding over here? My Pokemon aren't very strong and I'm waiting here until they recover somewhat. That Mankey thrashed my Ratatta." The boy finished bitterly as he walked away.

Natalie stood there pondering what to do, she wasn't sure if Taz could handle all of the Pokemon by himself but if they stayed here much longer they ran the risk of getting caught by the evil sandy-haired man. It was at this moment she understood the meaning of being between a rock and a hard place. Suddenly she felt a jerk at her shorts, she galnced down to see Taz gazing up at her with a newly determined look on his smooth face. Taz seemed to be thinking along similar lines as her when it came to their predicament with travel. Natalie smiled at him and nodded as they headed for the bridge.

"Hey you!" A camper called to them as they tried to walk past. "You gotta battle me! This is Nugget bridge and even though your taking it in the wrong direction, if you can beat me I'll give you a nugget!" He laughed derisively at her and Taz's tail flame doubled in size in indignity. Seeing this Natalie accepted his offer.

"This'll be a one-on-one battle between my super Mankey and your puny Charmander!" the camper jeered

"What an arrogant pig." Thought Natalie and was shocked when he already issued an order.

"Mankey use Fury Swipes!" The Mankey charged with some impreesive speed toward Taz and began scratching furiously. Natalie knew that it could still be dodged though.

"Taz dodge all the scratches you can, then come back with an Ember!" Natalie yelled

"Chaaaaake ThMANDER!" Taz roared as he ducked the second set of swipes and launched an Ember the size of a... Mankey. There was a cry as the Mankey was hit with a critical hit around the middle and staggered away.

"C'mon Mankey don't be wimp, you've beaten tougher opponents than this! Use Karate Chop!" The camper ordered as the Mankey seemed to be rejuvenated by its master call and charged forward with just as much gusto as before. "Taz dod-" Natalie was cut off before Taz could react and was slammed with a powerful Karate Chop and was propelled backward on the field.

"Taz are you ok?" Natalie cried _This is getting bad, but what-oh_ her thought was interupted as Taz had pushed himself upright with an arm and then got up all the way. As he stood up he wavered and the camper called "My Mankey has taken some damage, but your Charmander is barely standing, why don't you give-" "SILENCE!" Natalie suddenly heard. even though the camper only heard a mighty roar as Tazs' body began to glow with a red aura.

"Taz you-" Natalie couldn't finish at first and then Taz instantly snapped. "Give me an order!" He demanded

Natalie was shocked, she had never been apart of an intense battle before, but she knew that because she could understand Taz, she knew that a torrent of emotion must've been pouring through him. She knew that he believed that he needed to win to prove himself. She was reminded at that moment that they both wanted this, otherwise they wouldn't have started on this journey! "Taz use the most powerful Ember you can!" A huge flame suddenly erupted from Taz' maw and shot right at the Mankey.

"Whoa." Was all the camper could say. His Mankey screeched and tried to dive but the huge Ember still caught it's lower torso and legs and it fell to its knees burned.

"Ok Taz, just one more attack and we should have this! Use scratch!" Natalie ordered as Taz charged with relish to obey.

"Mankey don't let it near you use-" But the Mankey ignored him and with a huge vein in it's temple charged at Taz with what appeared to be another Karate Chop. The two combatants closed in on each other quickly and the Mankey took the first swing with a weakened Karate Chop but then Taz landed a hammer blow scratch that spun the Mankey's body and flung it downward. It fainted.

"I won! We won! You were great Taz!" Natalie cheered as Taz roared "Win!"

Natalie was still euphoric as the camper recalled his Mankey and walked up to shake her hand. "Good battle, I guess I underestimated the power of the starter Pokemon." The camper said.

"Thank you, oh can I have that Nugget?" Nataile asked still feeling psyched.

"No prob, actually you kinda did earn it." He said quietly while looking at Taz "Hey would you like to trade Pokemon?"

Natalie smilled as she took the Nugget and said 'no thank you' politely. Taz had no such reservations and just laughed.

The battles for the rest of the bridge were not quite as intense. Seeing as the rest of the trainers trained Pokemon such as the Caterpie and Weedle families and also Bellsprout. Taz wiped the floor with all of those types and his cockiness and enthusiasm were pervading Taz and Natalie's minds when they at last came upon the end of the bridge and could see the Pokemon center.

"Whew, I'm just yelling orders at you Taz but even I feel tired after that business. I think its time for some rest for us both." Natalie said with a sigh. Taz nodded, now that the adrenaline of his newfound ability was wearing off he was starting to feel taxed. He did get paralyzed by a stupid Bellsprout in addition to all the damage he had. The two of them were making good time when a shadowy figure stepped in front of them from behind a house and the two of them jumped and braced the best they could.

"Wh-Who's there?" Natalie stammered as she began to quake.

The figure didn't answer at first but just stepped out of the shadow of the house. Natalie immediately relaxed a little. The guy had a dark green vest over a lighter green T-shirt with khaki slacks and had a little Pikachu robot in front of him and gave a simpery little laugh as he ajusted his thick-framed black glasses to observe Natalie and Taz and how exhausted they seemed.

"My my you two seem tired, whatever have you been doing?" the nerd teased.

Natalie was simply confused at this boys' weird behavior and tried to come up with an excuse to get away when Taz growled "I wouder thider itrr was charvious you prickrrr." His attitude was clearly strained from all the battling and Natalie herself was tired and weirded out by this super nerd so she didn't bother to chide Taz.

"You seem to have a behavioral problem with that Charmander of yours missy. I think we need to battle to straiten him out." The nerd simpered.

In the same instant Natalie and Taz got a vein in both of their temples at what the nerd was insinuating- a battle? After they came walking exhausted off the Nugget bridge? Natalie was angry and worried at the same time because she knew that she and Taz had no choice but to battle.

"Fine... Just one Pokemon?" Natalie asked with an interesting combination of gritted teeth and worry.

The nerd just gave a sinister chuckle and released his first Pokemon. It was a Pokemon Natalie had never heard of or indeed, even seen: It was a pink and green Pokemon of a rather box-like shape. Its head and... arms? Were funny acute triangle shapes and it even had a computeristic cry.

"What on earth is that?" Natalie asked as Taz ran up to the field.

"Oh this? This is just a newly developed Pokemon: Porygon." He said "Let's go! Use Tackle!"

The weird Pokemon charged at Taz and hit him before Taz could react. Not only was Taz's speed cut from Paralysis, but this Porygon seemed very speedy by nature. Natalie had to think of something quick.

"Taz try to build up your flame again! We have to do this quick." Natalie cried

"Charmander char comerr char as please!" Taz yelled as he shot an Ember that mercifully hit the Porygon.

"Finish it quickly you say?" The nerd goaded "Well if you say so Porygon use Agility!" The battle immediately worsened as the Porygon sped in a circle around Taz and threatened to confuse him. "Porygon use Tackle with your speed!"

"Taz dodge it!" Natalie cried as the Tackle mercifully missed full impact but still scraped Taz and he fell with a cry on to his side. Natalie knew things were only going to get worse if Taz couldn't move soon so with a gusto she wasn't sure was real she cried. "Please get up Taz! I know you still have something left in you!" Taz gave a groan and stood up shakily, and started to glow red again."

The nerd didn't seem to find this worrisome. "Well it appears that this battle is almost over- Porygon use Psybeam."

"Taz use Ember to counter the attack!" The two attacks clashed briefly, but neither had much sand so there wasn't a massive explosion when they collided and fizzled out. But nerd-boy didn't give Taz or Natalie any time to recover as he immediately told the Porygon to use Tackle again. The Porygon was charging at Taz!

"Taz use Ember!" Natalie cried. Taz tried to use it, but fell to his knees paralyzed instead. "Shit!" The nerd simply chuckled at her misfortune._ I gotta do something, wait his flame!_ "Taz lay on your stomach!" Natalie ordered. Everyone except the Porygon, who was probably incapable of showing emotion anyway, looked confused even though Taz obeyed.

"Porygon just tilt downward to reach him." But in the same instant that it tried to obey it's weird prism arms caught on the dirt and tripped the Porygon and sent it into a damaging somersault that would be comical if you weren't in the intense battle yourself. Natalie was trying to come up with an idea to end this, suddenly- "Taz push all your energy into your tail flame!" Natalie barked. When Taz did the flames from his tail were right in the somersault path and burned the Porygon as it flew over. The amazing flying fireball Porygon came to a rest after it slammed into a tree, fainted.

"WE WON!" Natalie screamed as Taz fought to push himself up to see the effects of his friends' tail flame strategy and was shocked at the results.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet." The nerd called as he returned the Porygon. "Go Slowpoke! Water gun!"

Natalie stopped and tried to shout at him but it was too late, Taz couldn't even move and was struck by a full powered Water Gun and caterwauled backwards and fainted.

Natalie was so stunned she couldn't even move or say anything for ten full seconds. Then suddenly it was like a dam broke. "YOU CHEATING BASTARD!" Natalie screamed as she ran up to pick up Taz while her eyes were streaming with tears.

"So what I won and that concludes my tour of Kanto. You are all to touchy." The nerd sneered and walked away.

"I'm sorry Taz, I started celebrating to early. I didn't think he wold be such CHEATING SCUM!" Natalie finished while screaming at the now distant figure. Taz was to weak to manage anything more than a weak "Chaa." Natalie stood up from the spot and walked the short distance to the Pokemon center while carrying her partner.

**AN: Sorry for the delay, you know what people like to say on fanfiction: the muse had left the building.**

**Yes that was a cameo of Conway. I hate his character on the show so I made him a bad guy. LOL**


	6. The Mojo of the Dojo

**I don't own Pokemon**

**I'm really sorry for the delay, I bought Pokemon Black and played it a lot, plus I was lacking inspiration. I'm not really excited with the beginning of this chapter, but like many stories the boring crap is sometimes necessary.**

**Credit to Rocketlord6485 for the tip to help me _finally_ upload this. Fanfiction was being such a pain. Thanks my friend!  
**

Natalie sat in the sterile hall of the Pokemon center in the early evening while Taz was resting in a nearby room. The Nurse Joy told her that Taz would make a full recovery but the realization of the loss was still bitter in her mind. She needed more Pokemon if she was going to make it any further than the fields. The idea sounded better and better the longer she thought about it, especially now that she had the Nugget to sell for supplies she could buy Pokeballs and healing items. Natalie stood up and walked towards the door of the center intending to sell the Nugget, she almost reached the door when she heard the Nurse's call of "Wait!" Natalie turned around to see the Nurse walking up to her looking worried.

"Where are you going at night with no Pokemon on you?" The Nurse Joy asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I was going to get something for my Pokemon, I thought that Taz could rest, it can't be that far away-the store I mean." Natalie said.

"Oh dear one, do you know where the store is?" Joy asked with a patient air.

"Well... no but every other town seems to have he store close to the center... right?" Natalie finished with trepidation.

The Nurse shook her head. "Well Saffron is one of those weird exceptions, the store is all the way across town. Besides, I couldn't let you walk around alone at night-"

"I can do many things by myself now!" Natalie said shrilly. She felt terrible for being even the slightest bit rude to this nurse that was so kind to her and Taz and it literally stung her heart and gave her a twinging feeling throughout her chest. Yet she still wanted to do something for herself, so she could really believe that she could make it on her own, that this wasn't an impossible dream.

"I have taken care of many young trainers over the years dear one." The Nurse soothed "You think that with Pokemon you are invincible but there are older trainers out there that take their Pokemon everywhere with them and might take advantage of you, and here you are trying to go somewhere without your beloved Pokemon regardless. How would your Charmander feel if you left without him and you got hurt? Didn't you think about that?" The Nurse finished slightly scolding now.

Natalie began to weep as the twinging in her chest from being rude combined with lots of guilt flooding through her. She knew that the Nurse was right and it made the reality of her nature of her journey all the more difficult and painful. The Nurse's eyes softened and she knelt down to give Natalie a hug as she said, "Just rest tonight ad then you and your Charmander can go get things tomorrow."

Natalie nodded while slipping out of the nurse's embrace and slunk off to bed in her center room and fell asleep after tossing for a few minutes, the guilt now fading away.

The next morning Natalie was curled up under the blankets and didn't hear the door creak open, a particular Charmander was released from the healing room he was in and was trying to sneak up on his mistress and give her a big lick. So he crept carefully up to the bed and climbed on top of the cover. Natalie only stirred from the movement and light of his tail, but didn't get up and Taz saw the opportunity and gave her a huge lick along the front of the face. Natalie jumped up three inches from the bed and Taz was inadvertently pushed off the bed and Natalie conked her head on the bunk bottom so hard that her eyes started watering from pain and frustration. "TAZ what the hell was that!" Natalie yelled.

Taz was a little dizzy from slamming on the floor but still managed to start laughing. Natalie was torn between supreme irritation and amusement herself. But since the pain in her crown was fading she decided on amusement and cracked a smile as Taz managed to choke out, "Irr chast want to chave you bigr lick friendrr. I didn't mean to hurt you." Taz's smile faded a bit at the last part but Natalie got up and gave him a hug as she said,

"Well I guess I can forgive you, I'm really glad you're better anyway."

Taz nodded as he nuzzled her. " I will try even harder next ti-"

"No." Natalie cut him off. "I messed up and we are going to get another Pokemon friend to help us. Preferably one that is good against your weaknesses."

Taz gave a toothy grin at his mistress' concern. Natalie returned the smile and after she was ready they headed out. Natalie gave a smile as a farewell to the kind nurse Joy. The nurse smiled in return as they headed out on their journey together.

The city of Saffron really was something to behold thought Natalie. She was so preoccupied with getting Taz to safety the first time she ran through it, but now as she took in her surroundings she was impressed to say the least. As she and Taz passed one building that seemed to be the grandest, a man in an erriely familar black uniform was standing a few feet from the door and looking up at it. Suddenly the man turned and leered at Natalie who flinched and tried to look away. The man marched toward her and Taz snarled meanacingly and stood in front of her. The man stopped and said in a raspy voice, "Whad are you looking at? You wanna battle me?" he said as he pulled out a Pokeball.

"F-fine one on one?" Natalie stammered, very intimidated. She was glad that she didn't walk to the store last night with creeps like this around. "Taz take him out."

The man simpered as he sent out his own Pokemon. "Go Grimer! Use Sludge!"

Natalie didn't have time to wonder what kind of Pokemon Grimer was she simply ordered Taz to dodge and use an ember. Taz successfully dodged the Sludge which plopped nastily onto the pavement, then sent a well-aimed ember at the slothy Grimer. The Grimer cried in pain and clutched it's side that Natalie could see had developed a burn. Natalie grinned maliciously, this man tried to intimidate her and now he was reeling, she didn't have long to savor this advantage though as the man barked an order for another Sludge. Before Natalie could order Taz to move the Sludge attack was slathered all over Taz and knocked him back. "Chaaar!" Taz cried.

"No Taz are you ok?" Natalie cried. Taz whimpered and the cruel man started laughing. Taz pulled himself up then growled at the laughing man. Natalie gave him a dirty look that could peel a dead Stunky off pavement, but suddenly a large ball of what appeared to be blue fire erupted from Taz's maw and crashed into the Grimer before anyone could react. It was a solid KO and both trainers were stunned, It was Natalie who recovered first however and yelled "Taz that was brilliant!" Taz was jumping for joy and snarled as the man sneered at Natalie and ran away. Taz then turned to Natalie and began to glow. Natalie gasped as his form began to grow and his head sprouted a single horn, then it was over. "Charmeleon!" Taz crowed triumphantly then began to admire his new sharp claws. Natalie ran up to him and embraced him and was struck by how much warmer he was.

"Wow Taz you're very warm now, not that you were cold-blooded or anything before." Natalie giggled.

"Chass my manwer is Fire. We mander chasist Waterrr ander Rock char trainrr" Taz said with a deeper voice.

Natalie nodded seriously. It was a curious mixture she though, his deep voice threatened to make her giggle. But she also wanted to find a place to train against his weaknesses, even if she didn't know where to go- wait a second, there were grass types in the fields between cities! "Taz I know where to go! Both for a new friend and for training!" Natalie exclaimed excitedly

"Wellrr tell mander, but char we healrr and buy stuff quicklerr? Humander cities disgust merr." Taz said while looking at the sludge on the ground from the battle, as well as the trash in the alleys.

Natalie nodded and began walking towards the store. After thinking about it for a little bit she told Taz how odd it was that she was so impressed with looking up earlier, but now she had to acknowledge the truth of his statement as she looked down the alleys filled with trash. Not to mention the jerks who lived here. "But it doesn't matter too much Taz, we'll be out of the city in no time, we need to train in caves and oceans against your weaknesses anyway. All we need cities for is healing and Gyms." Natalie said. People's heads were turning as they heard them talking, in what sounded like mumbling to most of them but Natalie and Taz were too absorbed to care. After she sold the Nugget and bought healing supplies and Pokeballs, they began to head to Celadon before Natalie noticed a building with the League symbol on it- a Gym! "Hey Taz, do you want to take down this Gym? I can heal you really quick." Natalie chirped. Taz nodded just as excitedly, eager to test his new strength from his evolution. After she gave him a super potion they walked in to the Gym together.

Natalie's first impression was that this Gym wasn't very elaborate, what with a large single room with simple wooden floor and blank walls. The men and women sparring suddenly stopped and bowed to their new challenger. Natalie was very surprised at being treated so respectfully despite her age so she bowed respectfully in return to the room at large and instructed Taz to do the same. He did so, albeit less gracefully. The black belts nodded and stood at a formation that would make it so Natalie had to challenge all of them to get to what she assumed was the leader. Natalie looked over to Taz and he nodded. The both stepped forward and took their first Gym trainer challenge.

The Gym trainers only had Machop and Mankey mostly so Taz had an easy enough time defeating them. Natalie did pay attention however, the Machop and Mankey incorporated Bushido and Tae Kwon Do in their fighting techniques and Taz began to use it himself to great effect. After five battles Natalie knew they had to take a break and go to the center before they faced the final Gym trainer, but she was having a hard time pulling Taz away in his excitement.

"Mistress I want to battle! I'm still ready!" Taz said as he tried to pull Natalie back to the Gym.

"Taz honestly! The leader is going to be very difficult and you need to be at top form to face him! Use a little brain power." said a frustrated Natalie.

"Really? That's why we're going to the center? Ok lets go!" Taz zoomed off, now dragging Natalie who had a huge sweat drop near her temple. Once again Taz and Natalie were turning heads, she was unsure if she would keep this silly reputation forever.

"Taz hold on, lets just walk like normal beings please?" Natalie said as she straitened up and stood next to Taz. He gave one of his toothy grins, although it seemed more menacing due to his larger fangs Natalie thought. She froze and then burst out laughing at the ridiculous grin Taz was giving her.

Taz was confused as to why his friend suddenly started laughing, but when she explained how it was because of his new fangs in is smile he couldn't help but feel a little sheepish and grinned again, which sent mistress into another fit of giggles. Humans were looking at them strangely as they made the healing trip, but friend Natalie was too giggly to care. Only when they approached the Gym for the second time did she calm down and when they stepped inside again Taz reminded her of what they were here to do, she smiled at him and assured him that she knew and they stepped forward again.

They walked past the trainers they had already defeated up to the last one. He had a Primape out with him and seemed to be waiting for them. "Welcome challenger. I have no trouble breaking rocks, so I'm sure your Charmeleon shouldn't be a problem." the black belt said with an even tone. Natalie just rolled her eyes and sent Taz out to battle, the latter of whom started to growl in irritation. The black belt smirked and tried to start off with an attack called Brick Break, the Primape charged at Taz with one of his paws glowing but Taz was too quick for it and grabbed it's arm and flipped it over his back. Natalie didn't know what attack that should be called but the Primape seemed really pissed so she figured they had better stick to known attacks or they might get in trouble.

"Taz use blue fire!" Natalie ordered. Taz knew that he would have to tell her later what the attack really was but he used it anyway. The pulse of fire again erupted from Taz's maw. The black belt tried to order a dodge, but it still grazed the Primapes' entire left side. At this point both the black belt and the Primape were getting extremely mad and the black belt ordered a quick Brick Break against Taz. Before Natalie could react a glowing glove smashed into Taz's chest sending him flying backwards- a critical hit. Now it was her turn to be mad, "Taz use Ember!" Natalie roared. Taz staggered up and charged at the Primape with the flame growing in his mouth. The black belt knew that the Charmeleon would probably follow him if he tried to dodge so he ordered his Primape partner to do a Karate Chop as soon as it go close. It wasn't long and Taz was right next to it. the Primape was quick however and chopped Taz right in the stomach, this was a double edged sword however, for when the damage was done Taz developed a red aura and the Ember in his mouth doubled in size and incinerated the Primape. It staggered backward and then fell to the ground-fainted.

Natalie was stunned at the effect of how the Primape's attack was so fluidly used against it. She was once again set to cheering Taz on and embraced him when he ran back to her.

"Well that was an impressive victory now you can challenge the Dojo master." said the blackbelt somewhat forlornly.

Natalie kept her hand on Taz's muzzle and stroked it and she stood up and nodded to the blackbelt. She then proceeded to heal Taz again at which point he growled clearly, "Mistress I want to tell you that my blue fire is Dragon Rage." Taz paused "And that I want to learn Break move."

Natalie was beyond pleased at the moment, not only from the victory, but from learning about the true nature of Taz's new move and the prospect of learning yet another new one. As they approached the platform where the leader waited she said. "Oh thanks Taz, and yeah we can work on learning that on our way to Celadon." They both turned to the leader and bowed respectfully.

"Welcome talented challenger, I am the leader of this Dojo, my name is Sho. Despite your age you have a strong bond with your Charmeleon and it shows in your victories. But I too have a strong bond with my Pokemon, my two Pokemon and you must defeat them both."

Natalie's eyes widened a little when he said that he had two, but they were already here. So she looked at Taz, although she was talking to both of them, "We have come so far, whatever the turnout, I trust Taz and I believe that he trusts me." Taz nodded as he looked strait at her.

"Very well, let's begin! Go Hitmonlee!" Sho called. A brown Pokemon with eyes near the top of it's torso and ridged legs appeared.

Natalie wasn't going to waste this opportunity this time so she immediately called Taz to do a Dragon Rage. Taz sprung into action and followed the command quickly but Sho ordered Hitmonlee to dodge. This Pokemon wasn't like the slothy foes they had taken down with this move before. It jumped high in the air to dodge with Taz looking up somewhat befuddled.

"Hitmonlee use High Jump Kick!" Sho ordered. Suddenly the Hitmonlee was diving strait at Taz, Natalie knew she couldn't let it hit it.

"Taz prepare a Dragon Rage-" this split second order had already brought the Hitmonlee to close for comfort but then Natalie yelled, "Ok dodge Taz! NOW!" Taz jumped out of the way at the last second and the Hitmonlee crashed to the ground taking recoil damage equal to about half of what the attack would've been. Taz didn't even give it a chance to stagger up and unleased the Dragon Rage that his mistress told him to prepare. It collided with the Hitmonlee in a split second and sent it down in a KO.

Sho was stunned at this child's prowess and returned his partner as she praised her Charmeleon, he would have to figure out a way to cut down it's fluid movements- "Go Hitmonchan!" Sho called. "You have done well so far, but now I will defeat your clever stragety with one of my own. Hitmonchan Thunderpunch!"

Natalie snapped into action. "Taz use Ember!" Taz braced himself and shot flames at the Hitmonchan but it wasn't enough to push it back. Taz tried at the last second to catch it's fist like with the Primape but Hitmonchan was twice as fast as the monkey and he missed, the Thunderpuch collided with Taz's muzzle and made him very dizzy. "Taz are you Ok?" Natalie cried. Taz shook his head and tried to move but little electrical sparks fizzled across his body, he was paralyzed. Natalie knew that she had to end this quickly or Hitmonchan and Sho would win. "Taz use-" but Taz was already preparing an attack, he seemed to be pushing energy into his arm. "Must use Break-" Taz stammered. But all he could do was push fire energy into his arm, suddenly his paw was engulfed in flames the size of Taz's head and he socked the stunned Hitmonchan in the chest with a massive- "A Fire Punch!" yelled Sho surprised as his Hitmonchan staggered backwards and Taz and Natalie stared bewildered at his paw that had hot air rippling around it. "The Charmander family can only get that by breeding, what an extraordinary Charmeleon you have!"

Natalie's heart was beating very fast at this point, _Taz is unlocking some incredible power! We... we can do this! _"Taz use Firepunch again!" Natalie ordered.

"Oh no you don't, just because I'm impressed doesn't mean that I'm giving up. Hitmonchan use Thunderpunch!" Sho barked.

Taz's Firepunch was impressive but he didn't have months of practice like the Hitmonchan, as a result the Hitmonchan slugged Taz before he could fully form the punch. Taz was knocked down again. But this time paralysis kept him from springing back up. "Taz I believe in you! Please get up" Natalie called with tears starting to form in her eyes. Taz pushed himself upright at the sound of desperation in his friend's voice, he swayed upward just as the leader said.

"A valiant effort Charmeleon, but we must finish this, Hitmonchan use Bullet Punch!" The Hitmonchan charged at Taz with it's fists glowing a peculiar gray.

"Taz use Firepunch I know you can!" Natalie called encouragingly.

Taz found himself at the limit of his endurance, but he found that his ancestry made it so that firepower came faster and stronger when he was most desperate. He had never had a trainer that enabled him to tap into this ability, all the others let him faint to soon. As he thought this, firepower flooded through him, he was doing this for his friend Natalie, he gathered firepower into his paw again but before he could finish the Hitmonchan was raining punches upon him again, but these didn't bother him as much. As Hitmonchan prepared to land a final punch Taz slugged him with a blazing firey punch at he same time as Hitmonchan hit him. It all became too much. The fire was still in him but now it was fading just like his mistress' distressed cry in his ears as he fell forward and fainted.

It couldn't of been very long, but he felt himself being held by small arms with tears falling on his face. It was kind of fuzzy, but he could hear the older human saying something and Natalie nodding gratefully at him as she stroked my head. I blearily opened my eyes to see Natalie staring gratefully down at me. I felt terrible, I had so much power at my disposal but I lost again, I didn't deserve to have her be happy with me. Yet she was, I was all she had. I must work on my endurance if she is to stop having reasons to weep. I pushed myself up and sat on the ground looking as he gave her a strange brace, but no pendant as I knew was the real prize for defeating these humans. Natalie looked grateful though, she patted my head and returned me and we headed off to the healing center again.


	7. Training and Trepidation

**I don't own Pokemon**

**Also in this chapter I have decided to let Taz speak normally from now on. I'm weary of finding ways to partially garble his speech. I'll garble her new Pokemon's speech for a little bit though.**

**I am going to use a line from a Starkid musical in this chapter, no plagerism is intented. It's just Fanfiction fun. LOL**

Natalie and Taz were walking to Celadon in the late afternoon after their defeat at the Saffron Gym. Natalie had decided that they should catch another friend and Kick it up a notch before challenging another Gym and Taz agreed. Taz was growing irritated at losing at the last minute to anything but field traniers and he wanted to practice his new Firepunch anyway. The two of them wandered into the grasses between Saffron and Celadon and it wasn't long before they saw Pokemon frolicking about. They saw the standard Raticate and Meowth but one Pokemon in particular looked new to Natalie.

"Taz look!" Natalie said while pointing at a Pokemon that had ridges on it's back that were the shape and color of a bone. It's fur was red and black and when it spotted Natalie and Taz it gave a menacing snarl. Natalie was not deterred however, she wanted to find out what this Pokemon was. "Ok Taz lets get ready, we don't know what type it is so lets just use your strength to bring it down." Natalie said. Taz nodded and rushed up to the snarling Pokemon and charged up a Firepunch. Taz slugged the dog as hard as he could but the fire from his punch was absorbed by the Pokemon and Taz's fierce Firepunch turned into no more than a regular punch. "Hound, Houndour." The dog chuckled at Taz's bewildered look and gave a fierce Bite on Taz's arm. Taz yowled in pain and Natalie was shocked that Firepunch was ineffective,_ It must be a fire type too, well so much for catching it._ Natalie thought, _ it has nasty temperment anyway._ Taz's irritated and pained cry yanked her out of her thoughts, she snapped into action. "Taz use Dragon Rage!"

Taz did so and the Houndour was hit right on the side of the face and flung down. It jumped up and snarled and launched itself at Taz for another Bite attack, but Taz was having none of it, he lifted his arm and tried to channel power into it again. "No Taz don't do Firepunch again!" Natalie yelled frantically.

Taz's arm began to glow for a split second and he yelled " I have her Mistress!" he flung his glowing arm at the Houndour as he spoke but before he could connect the glow faded and Taz only slapped the Houndour with his forearm. The hound was irritated now and gave huge roar that sent Taz scampering away and Natalie was forced to follow him.

They finally came to a stop a little ways off as Natalie said "I've never seen that before, what happened to your Firepunch Taz?"

Taz shook his head "I don't know mistress, I felt as though the fire was sucked out of my blow, maybe it is an attribute of that kind of Pokemon?" Taz said with an unsure tone.

Natalie pondered this and vowed to remember this encounter with that Pokemon, others were sure to train it. "Well whatever it's pretty dark now so why don't we find a clearing to camp in?"

Taz nodded but before they could go far they saw a little blue-bodied Pokemon with leaves coming out of it's head walking leisurely across the field scattering seeds. Natalie got very excited. "Taz look! Leaves, I think it's a grass Pokemon which is what we need! Lets battle it!" Taz had a feral grin on his face as he charged forward and burned the Pokemon with an Ember before it had a chance to react. The Ember was super effective and the Pokemon pushed itself up and started yelling at Taz, it stopped however when it saw Natalie running up. The Pokemon gave a frustrated battle cry and a strange yellow powder burst from the top of it's head strait towards Taz! Natalie knew she couldn't let it hit, "Taz use a big Ember to burn away the powder!" Taz shot another Ember into the air that burned three quarters of the powder but some of it still landed on Taz, paralyzing him, but only a little. "Taz can you move?" Natalie called, Taz was wobbling around as the blue-bodied Pokemon laughed at Taz's wobbling.

Taz was pushing his fire energy into his arm, "I... I... I'm gonna kick it up a notch! I don't care about being paralyzed!" Taz crowed and slammed a firey clawed fist into the guffawing weed.

"Oddiiiiiish!" It cried as it fell forward.

Natalie saw the chance and dug a Pokeball out of her pocket, enlarged it and lobbed it at the Oddish. The ball hit it and turned the weed into red energy and began to wobbled on the ground... ... ... It was caught!

"Yes! We did it Taz! We caught a new friend!" Natalie cried triumphantly.

"Yes now we will settle the score with all those who beat us when it was just us." Taz growled as he stared down at the ground, he seemed almost forlorn.

Natalie nodded, she had honestly forgotten about those losses in the spur of this moment. She thought that it was interesting that he should mention that and when she turned to see Taz looking so serious. 'Taz I didn't know those losses were bothering you so much.." Natalie trailed off.

Taz nodded. "i just feel so powerful at the end of those battles and I don't see why I can't win for you."

"Taz... we have to win together, and we will. I know that there is a grass Gym in Kanto, I think its' close by too so we'll go there next." Natalie said getting steadyily more confident as she finished. Taz nodded, pleased and they settled down in the clearing for dinner. Natalie decided that this would be a good time to introdouce herself to the next grass Pokemon and it could even help set up.

"Pokemon I need you!" Natalie called as she released it. It came out of the ball in a bright white light and when it was free it gave a tired "Oddish, Odd."

"Oddish? Is that you species name?" Natalie inquired to the creature. When it gave a nod Natalie smiled and said, "well hello Oddish, I'm your new trainer and that is my friend Taz the Charmeleon, would you like a nickname too?" Oddish didn't answer right away but instead glanced curiously at Taz and walked slowly up to him, when he finally glanced the Oddish's way, he said to him, "Youdish rough, Odde nice." Taz gave a dry chuckle, started the fire and didn't anwser the Oddish. The Oddish harrumphed and tottered back to Natalie who had been watching both amusedly and with a little trepidation. Her training was going to be hard enough without personal rivalries, at least her Pokemon were getting along alright.

"Well," Natalie began. "About the nickname... how about Oddy the Oddish?"

The Oddish looked like it didn't want to make Natalie mad, but it still looked replused at being called that so Natalie threw that out. Taz had wandered over by this time and was looking curiously on and Natalie glanced at him and at the Oddish nervously, "Well what about uuh, Silly?" Natalie finished lamely. The Oddish and Taz giggled and seemed satisfied so that was that. "OK welcome Silly the Oddish, Taz and I believe in teamwork and working hard but... there are many types out there and we couldn't do it alone so... that's why we wanted a new friend." Natalie said, she didn't feel like she was good at giving speeches to her own Pokemon even, Silly giggled and Taz shot him a look. _Well at least trainers don't have to do speeches._ Natalie mused. Her Pokemon sat down and Taz's stomach rumbled so she set about making everyone's dinner. Eventually both her Pokemon helped and brought some Cheri and Oran berries to supplement their supper. Thus the first night with her new Pokemon passed.

The next morning was dewy and crisp. It was hard to crawl out of her bundle of blankets with both her Pokemon at heaters but she managed it well before the dew evaporated. She put out the fire and packed up and decided to keep both Pokemon out for company. As they walked it occured to her, "Hey Silly, what moves do you know?"

"Odd? Oddion Powder, Oddeet scedish, Absorb, Oddin Ishpore." Silly listed off quietly, but Natalie was concerned because there was no attack for all his weaknesses. They would have to fix that, but how? The question was stuck in her mind until they reached Celadon's limits. Once again she a her Pokemon were assualted with the smells and sights of the scrunched his muzzzle and Natalie patted him on the head, then Natalie glnced up at the billboards and one caption said "Come to the Game Corner it's safe, friendly fun!" The advertisment also stared that the glamourous prizes included rare Pokemon and... TM's! Natalie got really excited._ That is how we'll beat_ _Silly's weaknesses, we'll do the same kind of training like for Taz to resist water and ground, except with fire and flying and we'll teach him some neat moves to combat the types too! _"Come on guys we need to go gt TM's!" Natalie gushed. As she rushed toward the direction the billboard had indicated with Taz and Silly following her, a man was standing not far off with a blue Pokemon that seemed to have a hyponosis wheel all over it's somach and it was practicing shooting glowing pale blue beams from it's... mouth? At targets in a plaza, the beams were very erractic though and one came flying strait at them! Silly stood rooted to the spot (no pun intented) as Taz yelled "Mistress look out!" and pushed Natalie out of the way. As Natalie fell her body pushed Silly away but the beam still connected with his tiny foot and leg and froze it to the ground. Silly cried in pain as even an indirect Ice Beam was painful for a grass type.

Natalie pushed herself up and patted a thanks to Taz and ran towards Silly. "Oh no Silly are you Okay? Taz can you do a small ember to melt the ice?" Taz nodded and did so as the man with the blue Pokemon came running up. "Oh my goodness I'm so sorry! Are you and your Pokemon hurt?" He asked frantically. Taz gave the man a snarl which the blue Pokemon replied with a nasty "Poli! Poliwhirl!" Natalie knew she had to stop him. "Taz be nice he didn't mean to do it, and you saved me and thawed Silly's leg so don't be so antagonistic!"

The man blinked at Natalie and Poliwhirl folded his arms and turned away. But the man recovered and said. "Oh it's alright I'm sure he's just mad that you were almost hurt, but maybe you should just keep your Charmeleon out, it isn't very safe to have more than one Pokemon out in the city limits anyway, you risk them getting lost." He said sagely.

Natalie nodded, that did make sense and she was going to mostly use Taz when they eventually travelled through the city to the Gym anyway. "Ok Silly return." she said as she zapped Silly into his Pokeball. "This way you can rest your leg." She explained calmly to the Pokeball. Natalie looked up at the man and Taz scooted closer to her, she patted his head and gave him an assuring smile and continued, "Well maybe that is better, maybe they wouldn't want to many Pokemon out in the Game Corner anyway."

The man cocked his head. "What did you say? You're going to the Game Corner?"

"Yeah they have TM's which is what I need for Silly." Natalie told him.

The man looked like he was having trouble understanding her but he pressed, "Well just so you know you have to have some coins to play but they cost loot, I'm not sure if you can or should play too much." he said with an air of caution.

Natalie froze, she had completely overlooked the fact of paying for the TM, she wasn't exactly rich to begin with, but how was she going to give Silly an edge?" Seeing her face the man felt badly for her, "Look little girl, there are a couple of cheap TMs there, maybe if you wanted you could try for those and make the best of it. But you should know that there are many TMs at the store too." Natalie did a double-take at the sound of a huge store. She would have to look there too. Thanking the man for the info she sped off with Taz at her heels to try the store first.

The Department store wasn't hard to find, it was easily the largest building in the city, in fact, she thought that it would be on par with the big skyscaper that she saw in the middle of Saffron. Grabbing Taz's arm she pulled the gazing frie lizard into the building without further ado. When they first came in she saw that some other people had Pokemon out as well. "Look Taz Pokemon can be out in the store, that makes me feel better knowing that you won't have to be returned." Taz nodded.

"Welcome to the Department store, can I help you?" said a pleasant voice on thier left. Next to the elevators was a service desk and the associate called out to Natalie. _I must look lost, but it's no wonder-this building is huge!_ Natalie thought to herself as she walked up to her.

"Uh, yes its my first time in Celadon and I wanted a TM for my Oddish." Natalie said hopefully.

"Well you've come to the right place." The associate chirped. "We have a large selection of reasonable priced TMs for all Pokemon types! You can take the elevator to the fourth floor and see our selection."

"Oh thank you so much! I'll go do that now." Natalie said excitedly as Taz growled appreaciatively. When they were in the elevator Natalie said, "Taz this city is _so_ much nicer than Saffron, the people are very helpful too!"

Taz nodded as they stepped off the elevator and growled, "Yes but it is still dirty, I say we do what we need to and then return to training, I want to perfect Brick Break."

Soon they were upon the counter where above them was a long list of TMs sold here, there were many expensive ones, Natalie noticed but a few in particular caught her eyes as being very cheap and useful! "Hello may I please buy a TM10? Hidden Power?" Natalie asked the sales person.

"Good choice! It is a mysterious move and can bring an edge to a trainer who knows how to use it. Would you like a move for any other Pokemon or is Charmeleon your only one?"

"No I have an Oddish which is what TM10 is for and we are still working on other moves for Taz here." Natalie said but Taz growled, "I want a new TM move. I can master it too!" Natalie glanced at Taz, unsure if he simply wanted to prove himself or was just being childish. The salesperson looked slightly confused but just stayed silent as Natalie tried to reason, "Taz you know I can't afford anything else, I don't have anything to barter either." She said as she looked into her bag for something but all she saw was that brace. Taz's face drooped so she asked, "Is this valuable?" pulling out the brace.

The salesperson's eyes widened for a bit. "That is not valuable monetary wise but if you were to give that to your Charmeleon and have it fight Pokemon with certain high stats, then your...Taz would recieve those stats as a bonus while leveling up, that is a valuable training item and you should give it to Taz."

Natalie was delighted to find out this simple objects' potential she went to put it on Taz but when he pulled away unsure she said reassuredly "Taz if we do this then you won't have to faint as much, we'll work on your Defense!" At this Taz made grabby claws for the item and Natalie and the salesperson laughed.

"Be warned though that during a battle this item cuts Speed, maybe you should try it with that Graveller collecter over there? Graveller are great for Defense." She said.

Natalie looked curiously at the woman. "How do you know all this? Not that I'm not happy and grateful to learn it mind you." Natalie finished.

"My brother is an Ace Trainer for the 8th Gym of Kanto. So he uses this stuff." She smiled.

"Okay, thank you I'm gonna go try this now!" Natalie left the woman and quickly used the TM10 on Silly, his eyes glowed for a moment as he learned the move and she went to challenge the Graveller guy. It wasn't hard to find the guy, he was bragging at the top of his lungs how great his Graveller were so she challenged him with Taz and Silly by her side.

"Is that all you have? My team will crush you!" The cocky punk followed Natalie down to in fron tof the store and they soon stood in the makeshift field.

"Go Graveller!" He sent out a gray lumpy Pokemon that didn't seem to care about the situation. Natalie decided to fight this lack of enthusiasm with her partner so it would end quickly. "Go Taz! Use Brick Break!" Taz immediaely charged up his arm with a white light and didn't give the lethargic rock creature a chance to react, BAM! A Super effective hit! The Graveller fainted and it's trainer stood there shocked. He shook his head and returned it "OK fine I'll send out my best!" Another rock came out and Taz jeered as Silly began laughing. "Graveller use Rock Throw!" Three glowing boulders appeared suddenly by the rock's body and were thrown strait at Taz!

"Taz use Dragon Rage to crumble the boulders!" Natalie was counting on it's power to dissolve the rocks. Taz charged up the potent Dragon attack and launched it forward- two of the boulders crumbled! "Yes!" said Natalie but then a thrid appeared from the left of the light and smashed right into Taz. "CHAAARR!" It was a roar of irritation more than pain and he pelted forward with his arm glowing befroe Natalie could even begin to order an attack, but she was used to this. "Taz give it all you've got!" "CHARUSH YOU!" A Critical Hit! The second Graveller fell.

"I won't lose Go Graveller!" the boy shouted.

"You're not just going to use two Pokemon? Wow what a surprise." Natalie said her voice dripping with disdain and sarcasm. "Taz get back, Silly it's your turn!" She pointed out to the battle. Silly had a blank look on his face and didn't look to happy to be fighting the angry rock golem. "It's no problem Silly, you have a heavy adavntage in type." Silly nodded reluctantly and tottered onto the 'field'

"Graveller, we'll show her type, use Magnitude!"

"What? But Silly is grass-" The reason for the ground type move was quickly established a Magnitude 4 rattled Silly and sent him into a faceplant (again no pun intented). "Silly you have to get up! Use Absorb!" Natalie called frantically. Silly rolled himself upwards and launched a green light at the Graveller.

"Graveller!" It cried in pain as its energy was sapped back to Silly. Silly stood upright again looking more confident and so was Natalie. "Silly use Hidden Power!" she trilled. She was taking a bit of a gamble bacuse as far as she was concerned this was a roulette wheel move regarding effectiveness but as Silly charged up the attack the energy bead were shimmering like cold snowflakes-

"Oh no you don't Graveller use Magnitude again!" Graveller did so, a Magnitude 5! It rattled Silly again but Silly had already launched the assault and it collided with the Graveller causing a KO! The other trainer stood there with a stunned look that quickly dissolvd into indignity. "Well now I'm serious! My Final Pokemon is a Pokemon that I wanted traded to me as a Graveller, but now it is my best non-Graveller Pokemon- Go GOLEM!"

Natalie didn't even have time to celebrate when he sent out a large boulder-like Pokemon with a black, cracked rock shell for a body and clawed limbs and a tiny turtle head. "GOLEM!" it cried while rollling itself up in a ball and charging at Silly! "Silly look out!" Natalie cried.

"You dumb Golem I didn't order you to attack!" the boy yelled indignantly, but the Golem ignored him. Silly used some previously uncharted Speed of his to jump out of the way of the crushing Rollout and Natalie was heartened.

"_It doesn't listen to him._" thought Natalie, "Time to kick it up a notch Silly use a strong Absorb!" Silly began to glow with the green light again and shot the beam at the Golem sapping it's power. It roared in rage like it's trainer.

"Use Magnitude!" he yelled and the Golem obeyed! It was a Magnitude 7! That power was too much for the still-weakened Oddish and Silly fainted...

"Return Silly! You did so well! I'm so proud of you. I'm going to work hard for you and Taz to win this." Natalie said to the Pokeball. "Now Taz come on out and do this!"

"Char! Victory will be mine!" Taz roared as he materialized. Natalie knew she was a a disadvantage but Taz's enthusiasm was contagious and she felt heartened once again. "Use Brick Break!" she ordered.

The boy sneered. "That won't work Golem use Magnitude again!" he sounded very cocky, but that got a hole punched in it when the Golem ignored him again and did another Rollout.

"Taz dodge that and then when it's close hit it with your Brick Break!" Natlalie ordered. Taz nodded and tried to jump out of the way, but the Brace hindered him and he still got grazed by the attack! "Dammit!" he snarled as he straitened himself out and slammed the Golem with the Brick Break that issued a cry of pain from the Golem and one of frustration from the boy.

"Use Magnitude!" but Golem couldn't stop Rollout even if he wanted to because it had hit Taz before.

Natalie wasn't going to take any chances with the Rollout, "Taz ddge that and hit i with Brick Break one more time!" Taz charged up the attack as the Golem rapidly approached fling huge piles of gravel and dust into the air in it's wake. As it got within feet of Taz, Taz jumped to the side and spun in a 270 degree circle and back-handed the Golem with Brick Break! Direct Hit! Taz landed as the Golem slowed down and stopped a few feet away-with dizzy circles in his eyes. Natalie and the boy stood their frozen as Taz walked back up to Natalie and demanded a pat on the muzzle, there were two instant reactions. The boy started to yell and Natalie began laughing hysterically. "C-come on Taz ha ha ha, lets... lets go get the two of you healed." With that they both walked off without saying good-bye to the cranky loser.

When they reached the Game Corner after healing up she observed that it was two buildings, she figured that she would start with the closer building but when they went in all they found were three counters with glass fronts but no games as far as she could tell, she left there and went into the next one and the sight that greeted them astonished even Taz. Rows upon rows of brightly lit games and dings from many machines assualted their senses, brightly lit signs hung upon the ceiling directing people to a bar and the exchange counter for coins in the back. Pulling her eyes away from the glamourous machines she knew she had to see what it would cost to get some coins. Taz was not so easily pulled away, it might've been easier to pull him if he still had the odd Brace on, but he wanted a break so he was sniffing a beer bottle pile on the ground with Natalie trying to pull him, until the gambler chucked another empty bottle where Taz was standing and hit him in the head. Taz flinched and rubbed his single horn and Natalie gave the man an extremely dirty look that he didn't even respond to. She pulled Taz away to the counter in back but before they could see the exchanger a man by a poster in a sinister black uniform was leering at them. Natalie gasped and when Taz saw what she was looking at he gave a snarl and launched himself toward the man.

"Taz no!-"

"What do you think you're doing here brat? Get away from this poster I'm guarding it!" the grunt barked with no small amount of malice.

"Scum! How dare you speak you my mistress that way!" Taz snarled. But the man just sneered and pulled out a single Pokeball and relased a Raticate.

Natalie's blood began to boil, she had had enough of being treated so poorly for most of the day and she snapped. "You DICK! I'm going to have Taz crush your miserable vermin! Use Firepunch!" Taz's rage was equal only to Natalie's at that point and his claw was englufed in a huge infero within seconds and he charged.

"Oh no you don't Raticate use Quick Attack!" the grunt said. The Raticate charged with a beam of white light behind it and slammed into Taz before he could attack, but hat didn;t deter Taz after fighting Rock types and he puffed up and slammed his firey clawed fist into the Raticate so hard that it sent it spiraling backward and colliding against the wall in an instant KO.

"What the heck? How did I lose to a brat? I gotta tell the boss!" the grunt jabbered as he pressed a switch and a set of stairs appeared about 10 feet away. He returned his Raticate and fled downward.

Natalie and Taz stared at each other, a Rocket grunt knowing about a secret staricase in a Game Corner? This was a Rocket hideout! "Taz I think we should check it out, but we have to be sneaky about this."

"Yes mistress, and I will protect you from these scum if we run into them." Taz growled.

Natalie rubbed under his jaw in gratitude and thye both set down the staircase wondering what hey would find.

**I gotta face the fact, I'm a lousy updater. LOL I hope you enjoy the chapters though folks. btw I knwo that Natalie is young, but tell me that even kids don't swear, even if they don't know what it means, and you would be fibbing. LOL**


	8. Infiltration

**I don't own Pokemon.**

As Natalie and Taz crept down the stairs into the Game Corner basement a rush of emotions assaulted them, however the emotions were not at all similar. Natalie was getting nervous to an extentsion of being paranoid at the idea that they were in this dismal abode of the Rockets.

Yet as brightly as Taz's tail flame was glowing, it was obvious that he wanted a battle, the bottom of his tail flame had a blueish hue and he gave an involentary sudder of excitment every once in a while. Natalie found this curious and asked him,

"Taz why are you so excited? We're in the lair of evil men, with danger at every corner. This is a time for caution." Natalie warned.

"I know friend, but I just can't stop myself. It is in my genes to desire strong opponents." Taz paused then said, "I know you are wise for being so young friend, but maybe it is you who needs the must be braver if we are to crush the scum that killed your-"

"I know!" Natalie screeched cutting Taz off. Taz flinched when she did so and she was immediately contrite. "I know Taz, I'm so sorry that I yelled at you." Taz's eyes softened at this, she continued "I just feel like I'm so sad and can't cope with the pain that any reflection of the... event... would bring."

Taz paused for a moment then growled. "You saved me mistress. I was alone and afraid... just like you. Now we will be stronger together like you always say. We of the Charmander family seek opponents from a young age, so we can be strong. We are the best of the starters after all." Taz smirked.

Natalie smiled back and they both walked further into the hallways. Natalie knew that despite Taz's encouragment, she would not be able to let go of her fear that easily. Since their mission was revenge she ensnared Taz and Silly in her own twisted plot that she couldn't even untangle herself. While on this journey she knew she was pushing away the sorrow with both opitmism and the thought of revenge. But it couldn't go on forever, what if her Pokemon got hurt or even if they did succeed in killing him, "What would become of me?" Natalie blurted out. Taz looked at her and was about to inquire when they heard a gruff voice coming from a little further up in the halls.

"What?" A Rocket came running out with a Pokeball and leered at Natalie and Taz. "What are you doing here brat?"

Taz immediately snarled and engulfed the grunt in a huge Ember as his tail suddenly erupted in a white hot flame. The Pokeball dropped and opened to reveal a purple circular Pokemon with a poison sign on it's belly. It immediately spewed out some smog when it saw it's trainer trying to put out the flames on him. This was a fatal mistake however because when the smog connected with the flames on the ground and on the grunt there was an enormus expolsion that sent the grunt flying and screaming away from Natalie and Taz, made the purple Pokemon faint and crumbled and blacken the walls in the proximity, all in an instant. Taz pushed Natalie out of the way of the explosion and they fell to the ground in front of another cubicle. The grunt crumpled by the stairs and didn't move. Natalie gave a grateful look to Taz before three more Rockets appeared attracted by the explosion.

"What the hell is going on here? Did your Charmeleon do that brat?" The first grunt screamed. All of them released Raticate and the one that yelled released a purple Pokemon as well. "Go Koffing and Raticate! Crush this intruder!"

Taz's flame grew another size and now had a bluish hue on the bottom of the white hot flame. Natalie too had had enough. "That's it! Silly Go! Help Taz with Hidden Power! Taz you use Fire Punch on the rats!" The grunts laughed derisively and ordered Hyper Fang at Taz and the Koffing did a smog on Silly. The smog didn't seem to do anything to Silly and Silly's Hidden Power pelted the Koffing with icy crystals forcing it back a little. Meanwhile Taz was nimbly darting about and dodged all but one of the Hyper Fangs. 'Raticate!' one of the Raticate cried frustrated and bit down on Taz's tail. Taz gave a roar worthy of his final stage and he flew into a corybantic rage and his tail flame burned the face and a pair of whiskers of the rat, it yelped and tried to scuttle away but Taz's paw erupted in a huge inferno and collided with the Raticate before it could escape. Natalie and Silly watched in awe as the Raticate was sent flying against a blackened wall with it's chest fur singed off and an angry burn on it's chest and face... The grunts were confounded, but Natalie was now in a corybantic temperment herself and didn't care to let them recover,

"Taz crush the rest of them with Fire Punch! And Silly, finish off that poison vomiter with Hidden Power!" Silly tripped over himself to obey his irritated mistress while Taz jumped into the fray of the two Raticate with a flourish and began demolishing them with flaming paws. The Raticate were fleeing from the battle and the two grunts folllowed close behind. The grunt with the Koffing however was simply incensed and yelled, "What the hell are you? Are you possesed?" He didn't get to be scornful for very long however, seeing as Silly finished off the Koffing with another Hidden Power and Taz was starting to storm up to him with an aura of palpable rage. Natalie's rage was tempered as she looked upon the damage to the room and the grunt running away. She tried to hold Taz back, but the heat radiating off him seared her. "Taz please calm down, you both did great!" she soothed as she shook her hands to cool them off.

Taz was breathing hard and a flare shot out of his nostrils every few breaths but he did begin to calm down and then he spat out, "The always call you brat mistress, you don't deserve that spite! I will not tolerate it!" Taz continued to breath hard as Silly walked up, nuzzled Natalie's leg and said, "you both should be happy, we won! We..." Silly stopped and backed away from the two of them.

"Silly what's wrong?" Natalie asked concerned as she reached out to pat him but then Silly began to glow! "Wow Silly! You're evolving!" Natalie exclaimed as Silly grew a foot and his leaves shrunk and were suddenly covered by four bulbs, he even grew arms! "Gloom!, I stroom!" He crowed.

Natalie was estatic, now both of her partners had evolved into their second stages! _It will be even harder for anyone to beat us now! _Natalie thought savagely.

She looked over at Taz and Silly who were comparing each other's new powers and barked, "Hey you two let's go further in and get to the bottom of this."

Taz stopped and looked at her curiously, "Didn't you say that you wanted to be careful? Why the change of heart?" Taz growled as Silly nodded nervously. Natalie supposed he would never change...

"All we have seen so far is grunts with pathetic rats and poison vomiters! If we go down another floor or so we might find-" Natalie suddenly silenced as she heard a deep meancing voice coming from down the hall. She quickly pulled Taz and Silly behind a staircase with her heart thundering.

"I don't care that they _might_ have seen the base where you and some grunts were hiding. If you were in the least bit competent you would have been able to kill them all for being so close and not performed such a maladroit excuse for a murder! This organization does not tolerate mediocre performances and failures! You were assigned a platoon of grunts to set up shop in Cerulean and yet you felt the need to incite resistance by killing an Superior Private's family when they could care less about your exsistance!" The deep voiced man roared but Natalie could barely hear him or understand him over the rushing in her ears, yet he contiued.

"It was such a maladroit murder that the father escaped death to lead the Saffron and Cerulean ploice forces to kill 2 dozen grunts in revenge! I wish he did kill you!" The deep voice roared.

"Sir," Natalie gasped, because this oily voice belonged to none other than the murderer of her family. Taz sensed her reaction and tried to move but Natalie held him back. She kept listening to his oliy, muffled speech. "Whomever told you this must have forgot to tell you that before I could finish him and his little spawn off an officer was approaching and I couldn't finish the job."

"Pathetic Saito, pathetic." the deep voice growled "You think I am supposed to believe that even though you could shoot at a family of four you couldn't eliminate a cop?" Natalie shifted at this and Taz gave a soft growl. "No more excuses, I can't trust you here in Kanto and you are henceforth assigned to watchover the Slowpoketail smuggling ring in Johto."

"Thank you sir I will do my-"

"This is no reward!" snapped the deep voiced man. "You will work with a loyal Rocket who will keep watch over you to make sure you do not make any other moves! My grand scheme is about to come to fruition and I will not have a low-life destroy what I have worked for for the last decade! You are dismissed." The deep voice growled with an air of authority and finality.

"Yes Giovanni sir..." The murderer named Saito murmered.

Taz could not sit still any longer and tried to leap out at this cruel man but Natalie returned him before he could get in the line of sight, before she could do the same for the antsy Silly a man walked past the dark stairwell dressed in a fine tan suit. This man had dark brown hair, sharp features and mean eyes. Fotunately he walked right past the stairwell and up the stairs and out of sight.

Natalie breathed a sigh of relief and released Taz again. Taz was about to sanp at Natalie for returning him when they heard Giovanni scream from just above the stairs, "WHY IS MY NEW COMPOUND DESTROYED?"

A dozen grunts ran past the stairwell where they were hiding, to anxious to get to their boss to notice the light coming from under a stairwell. Natalie saw the oppourtunity to get out and motioned for Taz and Silly to follow her, _I don't dare take the same stairwell as him._ Natalie thought, but before they could get to the elevator, a voice called. "What are you doing in here?"

Natalie turned and there stood a softer eyed grunt looking at the three of them. Taz and Silly lept in front of and beside her respectively and Taz even growled. The grunt just stood there somewhat forlornly and to Natalie's great surprise said, "You're Pokemon seem to adore you kid, if only I had started when you did..." he trailed off.

Taz was just as befuddled as Natalie and Silly backed up behind Natalie. "I-"

"You should leave, even though you're a kid I must eliminate you." the grunt said with a sorrowful air.

Natalie felt sorry for this kind Rocket, she didn't want to fight him. Taz flexed his claws but Natalie put her hand on his shoulder and chocked out, "I- we were just l-leaving. We can leave and then we don't have to fight..." Natalie finished lamely.

The grunt gave a small grin and this startled both her Pokemon greatly. Natalie gave a weak smile in return and then frowned. "Why are you part of Team Rocket? You don't belong here."

The grunt said, "Some kids aren't so lucky, they don't have anyone who believes in them. No one else would hire me... You must go now!" He motioned her towards the elevator, she nodded, returned Silly and ran in the opened door. "Good-bye" she said softly as the door closed. She hung her head and pondered the man who didn't want to fight, who didn't get a chance to be better because no one ever believed he could be, she felt her arm be nuzzled and looked over at Taz who had a sad look on his face too. She patted his muzzle and walked out the door when they heard the ding.

The didn't walk far before a grunt yelled, "Well what do you know, I found a rat sniffing around!" He immediately sent out a Raticate, which Natalie thought was funny as hell.

She chuckled and sent out Taz. "Taz use Firepunch!"

Taz complied with gusto, "I tired of you vermin! YAH!" He slammed his firey paw into the rat and sent it flying back against the wall with a thud. It fainted.

The grunt yelled in frustration and relased a second rat which launched right into a Quick Attack that rammed into Taz. Taz shook it off though which pleased Natalie a great deal. "Use Dragon Rage!" An enormus ball of blue flame engulphed the Raticate with great effect! But it still staggered up and obeyed as the grunt stupidly ordered a Tail Whip."Ratiwhip you!" it cried as it charged. Taz and Natalie rolled their eyes at the same and Natalie ordered an Ember that singed and defeated the Raticate.

"You little rat!" the grunt yelled as Taz pushed him out of the way and he and Natalie ran out into the hall. There was still a group of grunts getting yelled at by Giovanni and some of the outsiders saw Natalie and Taz and tried to yell at them. The adrenaline kicked in and they both raced out the door and casino into the side streets.


	9. Explosive

**I don't own Pokemon, I sure wish I had a clever disclaimer though LOL.**

Natalie and Taz kept running in the streets until they reached a line of trees and a small bush just past a cafe about a block or so from the Rocket hideout. They stopped to let both of their heart rates calm and Natalie finally spoke up, "Taz, he is going to be in Johto! ...Saito is going to be in Johto!"

Taz flexed his claws in a meanacing fashion and growled. "That swine will not escape us for very much longer friend. We-"

"Wait, how the hell are we supposed to go to Johto?" Natalie interupted. "Sorry Taz" she said contrite as she saw the annoyed look on Taz's face.

"We fly of course!" Taz growled.

Natalie could only stare blankly at Taz, they couldn't afford a ticket for anything, much less those blimps that she overheard about in the Pokemon center, or a ship in Vermillion either. Seeing her blank look Taz elaborated, "In my final stage I can fly mistress! I will carry you, all I have to do is evolve one more time!"

Natalie brightened considerably at this. "Taz that's brilliant!" she paused to think and then said, "Well the best way to evovle you quickly is to challenge Gyms! So lets go- oh shoot we have to heal first!"

Taz rolled his eyes, "Friend I'm fine let's go now!"

"Ooh no you don't! You got hit by those rats and you know how we have to be prepared for Gyms. So we are getting healed. Besides it takes what, 45 seconds to heal you? C'mon we'll go now and get back to battling." Natalie finished with a bright grin that Taz returned.

After a quick healing they found their way back to the bush between the large trees. Natalie at first tried to slip around it, but it was planted in such a way that even her skinny frame couldn't get past it. Taz pushed her back with his paw and savagely clawed at the bush and then set it on fire with a fierce Ember. Natalie started laughing as he was tearing apart the bush and as he putzed back to her side when it waas nothing more than a charred bark heap. They proceeded through a cobble stone avenue of sorts that was surrounded by large trees and eventually came upon the Gym.

Natalie's first impression was a greenhouse of sorts. It was a large glass dome with the League symbol hung just above the sliding glass doors. _If it is a greenhouse I think I'll just use Taz mostly, there are other Gyms in which Silly can get a turn, _Natalie reasoned. They both stepped inside and were assaulted with aromas of thousands of flowers and surrounded by a maze of trees and bushes.

"Well it is clear which type this Gym is." Taz growled with savage pleasure and walked forward towards the first trainer but Natalie held him back.

"Taz can you please just be careful not to burn the decorations? They look so nice and it is clear that they worked hard to make it this way." Natalie asked gently.

Taz rolled his eyes with a crooked grin on his face but nodded and affermative.

The two of them continued on and faced trainers (mostly lasses and beauties) that opposed them with Bellsprout and Oddish that Taz quickly burned through with no problem at all. They were just about to the leader's pedestal when they were confronted by a beauty.

"You won't be able to get to Erika, because I'm going to beat you." she crowed and sent out a Gloom!

Natalie smiled at this, "Taz can you take a break? I want silly to have a turn." Taz nodded and Natalie sent out Silly.

"Finaloom a glattle!" Silly cried as he came out of the ball. Natalie giggled and ordered him to use Stun Spore, but it missed.

The other Gloom didn't give a chance to react and charged forward with a Cut attack that did significant damage, Silly was fast but didn't have time to dodge the attack. It sliced into him causing him to cry out, yet Silly still staggered up again.

"Silly use Hidden Power!" Natalie ordered, Silly did so and an icy blast of power collided with the enemy Gloom and forced it back.

"My poor Gloom! You little brute, Gloom use Giga Drain!" the beauty bawled. Her Gloom did so, but with Silly's typing Natalie didn't think it did anything.

"Silly finish this with Hidden Power!" an icy clump of power came from Silly's mouth and hit the enemy Gloom kocking it out. Natalie cheered and Silly jumped up and down for joy and Natalie went to go pat him on the head with Taz following at her heels. "Bravo Silly that was a great battle, go ahead and rest." she said as she returned him. She then turned to Taz and he nodded enthusiastically before she could ask and he zoomed up the pedestal with Natalie close behind.

The leader sitting on the pedestal was a young, beautiful woman who resonated an irenic air. She stood up from her boquet and introduced herself very politely as Erika and Natalie responded in couldn't ignore the curious combination of her resolve and confidence, and yet trepidation as well. She had never won a Gym battle before and even though they were advantaged with type, you never knew what tricks Gym leaders had up their sleeves.

"Shall we do a two-on-two battle?" Erika asked lightly, procuring a Pokeball.

"Um, yes... that's fine, go Taz!" Natalie ordered.

"Go Victreebel! Use Vine Whip! The giant flytrap surged forward and slammed Taz with a heavy vine. Luckily Taz had that defense training as well as type advantage so it didn't do much._ it was still powerful though_ Natalie thought as she ordered Taz to do a Fire Punch that slammed into the Victreebel with great effect. Yet it wobbled upright and prepared another attack._ These Leaders are tough, I'll have to do some more Defense training._

The Victreebel spewed a posionous powder strait at Taz snapping Natalie out of reviere. "Taz dodge that and use Fire Punch again!" Taz jumped out of the way and then ran forward wih an engluphed fist but the Victreebel used it's vine and grabbed onto a tree branch and hoisted itself away from the punch. Taz ran into a bush and snarled because he missed.

"Victreebel use acid while hanging on the tree!" Erika yelled.

Taz was hit with acid once and had to jump out of the way to avoid the continued onslaughtm but Natalie suddenly had an idea.

"Taz quick get behind where it's faing and use Ember on the vine!" Natalie called. Taz looked confused but obeyed. When the Ember singed the vine the Victreebel cried in pain and let go of the branch!

"Victre-Falbel!" it cried as it was in a free fall. Natalie knew now was the time.

Taz NOW! FirePunch while it's in the air!" Natalie yelled.

Taz snapped into action and ran forward like a bolt "FIREPUNCH!" he cried and slammed a firey fist into the panicked Victreebel and sent it flying into a tree with spin circles in it's eyes.

"Victreebel is unable to battle. Chameleon is the winner!" The ref called.

Natalie was jumping up and down in excitment and Taz was roaring "I win!" with great pleasure.

Erika recalled her Pokemon and thanked it kindly. "You may have won that round, but I am not finished yet, go Vileplume! SludgeBomb!"

The giant flower-headed Pokemon didn't give Natalie and Taz a chance to react, jut as Taz turned toward them a huge blob of sludge slathered all over Taz and sent him to the ground.

"No Taz are you alright?" Taz shook his head and pushed himself up off the ground with one paw and began charging up a firey fist.

"Well, at least your alright." Natalie said then she ordered Taz, "Taz hit Vileplume with everything you've got, but don't go in a strait trajectory!"

Taz was already halfway across the battlefield with the inferno on his paw getting bigger with each yard.

"Fire Pokemon always did have bad tempers, it is always their undoing. Use Sludgebomb again Vileplume." Erika ordered calmly.

"Vile-bomb!" it cried at it shot dripping piles of gunk at Taz, but Taz was smarter than Erika gave him credit for... he jumped to the side of each attack and kept on running closer to the flower and when he was upon it the Vileplume tried for one last Sludge Bomb but Taz faked and jumped on the other side and slammed it with a powerful Firepunch! Critical Hit!

"Oowwwume!"cried the Vileplume with most of it's right side covered in surface burns.

Erika was shocked at the power from Taz, but she knew that she would lose soon, she used a Super Potion on Vileplume's Pokeball and saw life return to her poor friend. But she was still suffering from burns. "I have to end this quick... that's it! Vileplume use Solarbeam!" Erika ordered her calm demeanor quite diminished.

Natalie didn't know what that was but it probably wasn't good. "Taz use Dragon Rage we have to finish this!"

"Dragoooon RAGE!" Taz said as he fired the energy ball from his maw strait for the plant. The blue fireball rushed at Vileplume and when it was a yard from her she fired the Solarbeam. The resulting clash of energy caused an explosion that sent Vileplume flying backwards into the wall in an instant KO as well as knocking back Taz on his rear and sending dirt into Natalie's and Erika's eyes. The dust soon settled and the ref called the victory for Natalie! Natalie stood frozen in shock, Taz was the first to recover and rushed over to her and began licking her face. Natalie started laughing and hugged Taz gratefully, she he looked over to find Erika feeding a green berry to her Vileplume and petting it. She walked towards them and beckoned Taz to follow her.

"Is Vileplume going to be OK?" Natalie asked softly.

"Oh yes, all those burns were were surface burns and the Rawst berry cleared them right up, thank you." She said, her pleasant deameanor returned after the fierce battle. "I underestimated you and your bond with Charmeleon. Before I have faced trainers older than you who tried to use the temper of fire Pokemon for power, but with a calm demeanor I often defeat them."

Natalie was surprised that Erika could beat a type adavntage often by staying calm,_ perhaps Taz and I should work on that. _"Wow, that is very impressive, I'll have to work on that I could certainly use it since Fire Pokemon have so many weaknesses." Natalie said sincerely.

Erika nodded. "You taught me something today too." Surprise once again flled Natalie's features as Erika elaborated. "Oh yes, you see you are a fire Pokemon trainer and you have a natural proficiency with your Charmeleon which is why you were able to beat me. I fell into a temper which is not my natural battling style, nor the proper way to control grass Pokemon. That is why I lost. Thank you for that lesson." Erika finished serenely.

Natalie nodded. "Thank you for both my lesson and your compliments. I assure you I will put them to good use." She smiled and Taz grolwed an affermitive.

"That is the best situation possible I am honored to present you with the Rainbow badge." Erika procured a fancy box with the coveted pendant. Natalie took it and bowed gratefully. She and Taz said their good-byes to Erika and headed for their next destination.

After healing at the Pokemon center Natalie and Taz headed West for their next route and were discussing what to do regarding training and their journey.

"Well although you didn't evolve even though we won the Gym battle you have to be close! Let's work on resisting your weaknesses!" Natalie said as they went into a gateway past a narrow road.

Taz avoidedd her eyes for a time instead trying to focus on the signs on the wall that he said that a Bike Route was coming soon. He couldn't read them anyway so he turned back to her, albeit a bit reluctantly and said. "Ok but water hurts. Can we take breaks?" he asked uncharacteristicly cautious.

Natalie smiled. "Of course Taz, remeber I'm training right along side you and even I don't have as much energy as you." She paused then said, "You've always been soeager to battle, are you just worried that you won't be able to beat Water Pokemon?" Taz blushed, but this went unoticted because of his red skin and growled as they walked outside. "I'm not afraid of any type! We have beaten many wanna-be togther and it will always be that way!" he yelled as he kicked down a sign that said 'Beware of Tentacool'.

"Well good, cause that's what I think too. That's what training is about anyway" Natalie said with a smile as they began their descent down a steep hill surrounded by rivers on both sides that appeared to have road construction here and there. _This is great! We'll have tons of training oppourtunities _Natalie thought excitedly. Natalie opted to run down the hill with Taz at her side but it wasn't long before they were tired and stopped for a rest. Suddenly a blue water creature with a red jewel on it's forehead shot a small purple dart at Taz! Taz jumped in shock and turned angrily towards the creature.

"Tenta! Got -acool!" the creature jeered.

Taz snarled and before Natalie could order him otherwise he shot an Ember at the jellyfish. It quickly dived underwater and the Ember fizzled out immediately. Taz stomped in anger and the jelly-thing popped back and fired another poison dart at Taz but this time Taz was prepared. Taz jumped to the side using incredible agility but Natalie was not so prepared and the dart grazed her grabbed the spot where it hit because it stung, but nothing more fortunately. Taz turned and saw that Natalie had been hit and swearved back around towards the thing and said, "We'll see who's _got_ whom!" He fired an enormus Dragon Rage that slammed into it "TENTACOOOL!" an instant knock out.

Natalie let go of her arm because it already stopped hurting and walked over seeking to pacify a flared up Taz. "Thank you Taz, but I'm ok, see my arm?" she asked procuring it.

"I just want to protect you friend." he said a little sullenly.

Natalie recoiled at his despondency. "I do appreciate it Taz! Really I do, it just wasn't something to..." she stopped in horror because behind Taz a few Tentacool had surrounded their fainted comrade and started Pokemon murmering. "What is it mistress-?" Taz turned around in time to see a dozen more Tentacool pop out of the water so that the fainted comrade wasn't even visible. The murmering became an angry buzz of "tentacool! tentully! bad!"

"Taz...we gotta go!" but all down and up the river there were suddenly hundreds of irritated Tentacool set in a menacing juxtapose. "Run to the other river!" she and Taz bolted but it was futile because there were angry Tentacool on this side as well!

They both tried to back away but the Tentacool suddenly shot more poison darts and a ton of Bubbles at them! Natalie snapped into action and dodged all the darts aimed at her but got soaked by all the Bubbles hitting her, they were smarting quite a bit too. But her condition was nothing compared to Taz, every time he couldn't dodge a Bubble it was like a hard slap and the poison was threatening to overcome his system and deplete his health! "Taz we gotta run-aaaah!" Natalie yelled as poison darts hit her bare legs and her left arm.

"Mistress!" Taz roared. "You rotten little sea vermin! DRAGON RAGE!" He spewed out an enormus ball of blue fire that knocked away a little over a dozen of the truculent beasts, but then two dozen took their place. They all shot Bubbles at Taz, _they must have figured out that that hurts him more! What can I do!_ Natalie thought terrified. Suddenly pain erupted on her legs and arms and she could hear the angry buzzing of the Tentacool surrounding her. She started to cry and staggered towards Taz who was now smacking the Tentacool away with Brick Break. She screamed "I'm sorry Tentacool! I'm sorry! Please let us go!" But her call fell on non-exsistant deaf ears as they shot hundreds of poison darts at her ."Aaaaah!" she screamed and fell to her knees when the darts hit her legs, arms and a few even pierced her shirt and hit her torso.

Her vision was wavering as she lay face down listening and not understanding the ear-splitting roar that Taz gave and the drone of hundreds of Tentacool. Suddenly a bright light appeared around her, she struggled to lift her head to see Taz glowing and getting huge! His incandescent form sprouted beautiful wings and another horn on his head as well as his legs and arms becoming like tree trunks! She blinked and tried to push herself up with the arm that was stung less, but failed and had to contend with a blink of seeing Taz as a magnificent orange dragon flapping his wings and rushing towards her. Suddenly she felt herself being picked up by hot, clawed arms and the wind suddenly whipping her face.

"Taz...Tha-" Natalie started weakly as her vision flickered. She gave up and moaned weakly because his hot body was aggravating the stings that covered her arms and legs, but she didn't want him to put her down. She loved flying...

"Hold on friend!" Taz begged. "I need you don't give up!" The minutes crept past in a harrowing manner as Taz desperately flew as fast as he could in his greatly damaged state while Natalie felt fuzzier by the minute. Natalie saw the green trees below and Taz's vibrant orange body clutching her and weakly giggled at the clash. Taz looked down at her with great concern and he and Natalie both heard the call of a young human before Natalie blacked out.

**Well I hope you enjoyed the chapter folks. I worked really hard on trying to make the battles dramatic and elaborate. This is my first time doing a cliff-hanger so I hope it fits in well. Thanks so much for reading! :)**


	10. Firey Fury, Cold Realization

**I don't own Pokemon**

**Sorry for the wait everyone, I suck I know. LOL**

**I would like to thank Rocketlord6485 yet again for help with this chapter! Thank you so much my friend! :)**

The first thing Natalie felt as she groggily came to was that she was on a bed under a thin, but soft blanket and that her legs were very sore. She blearily opened her eyes and she saw a fuzzy figure in a purple komono stoking a fire in the grate. _Who is that?_ She thought groggily, _the last thing I remember is Taz carrying me and a voice..._ Natalie's eyes focused and the figured materilaized into a middle-aged man with dark black hair and some-what stern eyes, "_His?_"

"unngh... what hrrpened?" Natalie slurred.

The man turned and procured a canteen. Natalie reached out and grabbed it with her arm that wasn't covered in bandages, "Here, drink this, you need to keep your fluids up and wash away the rest of the poison." he said.

Natalie balked and almost dropped the canteen. "Poisoned? That's what-" suddenly a rush of memories assulted her, of Taz and herself being surrounded by dozens of Tencool and her left arm and legs being stabbed by darts. "Where is Taz? Is he ok? He was-"

"Woah, woah." the man tried to calm her and get her to lay back down as he said, "Your Charizard is fine he is currently hunting and wouldn't hardly leave your side, I'll call him now." He walked out the door and Natalie heard a long shrill whistle come from his mouth twice. Taz didn't come, but Silly did and he ran up to Natalie and gave her as big a hug as his short arms could manage. "Yoolm safe mistress! Om thank gloomness." Silly said as he nuzzled into her face.

Natalie giggled and shook away what fuzziness remained in her head and patted Silly's head "I'm glad to see you too Silly, I'm sorry that I didn't think to release you to help us but everything happened so fast." Silly nodded and sat down beside her bed. Natalie then relaised where she was and sat up strait and said to the man as he walked back in, "Thank you, for saving my life. I hope I can repay you someday, my name is Natalie, what is yours sir?"

The man didn't speak at first and instead gathered five big bowls of Pokemon food and set them on the porch, "Yes I know who you are, tell your Gloom he can eat, I'll release my Pokemon as well, then we can talk. Go Venomoth, go Golbat, go Grimer!" He threw three Pokeballs and out came the Pokemon. Natalie had seen Golbat and Grimer thanks to dealing with Rockets, but not the moth one, it sure looked strong though... Just as she stepped out of bed to look at them the soreness in her legs intensified and the Pokemon ran out the door and she collapsed to her knees-which also didn't help her predicament and she cried out.

"Young fool! Your legs are healing! Get back onto the bed." he said sternly.

Natalie pushed herself up on wobbly legs and sat down on the bed, the pain instantly abated. The man then continued, "My name is Koga, poison master and Gm Leader of Fushica city, we have some important matters to discuss."

Natalie was a little surprised when he said Gym Leader, _but it makes sense, that is why his Venomoth looks so strong. _Natalie thought.

"Futhermore!" Koga suddenly barked which made Natalie jump, "I know who you are, you are an up-and-coming challenger with surprisng skill for one so young." Koga said.

"Thank you sir, my name is Natalie, maybe I could challenge you after my legs are a little better?" Natalie asked thinking that she could do no real traveling at this point so a Gym battle would be prudent.

Koga once again didn't answer right away, but instead looked to be deep in thought and then said. " I think I know what drives you to such strength," Natalie cocked her head in confusion and then recoiled when he said: "You are seeking revenge for what the Rockets did to you-"

"NO! ...I-I don't, how did you..." Natalie stammered ut she couldn't finish because suddenly Taz came in and pushed his clawed hand up against Koga's collarbone and shoved him up against the wall and growled " You should mind your own business or-"

"Taz! Stop it! He saved my, he saved me from the poison!" Natalie yelled anxiously. It was a tense moment as Taz backed off with a quiet hiss but was suddenly thrown several feet by an angry Venomoth using Confusion. "No!" Natalie screamed and jumped off the bed again and stumbled in front of Taz as an angry Grimer and Golbat joined the ranks of Venomoth in a meancing juxtapose.

"Enough, I would expect more of Gym Pokemon." Koga glared at his team who bowed back, although Venomoth gave a last glare to Taz which Taz returned. He then turned to Natalie and said "All the same, control your fire-dragon! I Perhaps I was wrong to think your strength was more than luck."

Taz hissed but Natalie pushed him back and tersely replied, "Can we all calm down please?" she looked at Taz and Koga pointedly and then said, "Furthermore there is no need to insult me, you just angered Taz is all and _in case you didn't notice_ Taz _did_ listen to me when I called him off!" Natalie replied a little miffed.

Koga's mouth became a thin line but then he simply said, "fine but it just proves what I already know, the Rockets killed your family and your Charizard is very attached to you so he simply doesn't want you to be upset." Natalie was assaulted with sorrow at his frank words and Taz bared his teeth in a snarl but didn't make a move.

"I don't want to know any more about their deaths." Natalie whispered as her eyes flooded. "It hurts enough already! Why would-"

Koga angrily cut her off, "if you know more you can take down all those who are responsible! You can do what I cannot and take care of Rockets!"

Natalie was confused, "but you're a Gym Leader, you would cerainly have more clearence for things like..." Natalie paused unsure exactly what he could do that she couldn't. Koga raised his eyebrow and she stammered "Politics, power I don't know!"

Koga's lips thinned once again as he growled, "it is precisely for those reasons why I cannot interfere."

Natalie stared completely befuddled, seeing this look Koga continued, "I cannot expect you to understand as age does make a difference, but lets just say that all who are in a position of power are ensnared in delicate and intricate webs of the politics which you believe give me power. I am given honored places in tournaments and the like, but when it comes to making law decisions, not only do I have limited influence to begin with, I am enslaved by the cunning tricks of corrupt buerocrats."

Natalie was still mostly blank, chanced a glance at Taz but he had already given up and taken his bowl by the door next to Silly, she shook her head and turned to Koga and simply gathered that corrupt politicians must've had something to do with the Rockets so she asked, "how so sir?"

"The corrupt pigs own money to the Rocket organzation, or even have death threats looming overhead." Natalie gasped but Koga continued, "However that is why it is fortunate that you are here, and how we can turn your tragedy to your adavntage." Natalie was curious at this and sat up as best she could, Koga continued "The public would be sympathetic to your plight no doubt, it could coerce the court to look further into the case. Tyrants always create their own worst enemies. Giving them weapons and motivation, you can be the downfall of many members of Team Rocket!" Koga cried.

Natalie was now shvering with excitment and jumped out of the bed again but quickly collapsed. Taz rushed forward to help her up and Silly returned to look anxiously from the side, Natalie waved them off and said "how so? What can I do?"

"Listen closely," Koga began "There have been rumors of evidence of your family's murder being destroyed or lost by a middle-ranking officer but-"

"WHAT!" Natalie screamed, "Why would the officers do that? Many other officers died beside my dad, why would they dishonor him so?"

"Silence! How do you expect to complete this task if you cannot even listen!" Koga snapped. Taz snarled again, but Natalie put a hand to his chest even as she breathed hard through her nose,

"Then finish."

" Adress me with respect and I will." Koga repied.

"Fine I apologize Mr. uh Master Koga."

He nodded and continued "It is as I said before, there are corrupt officials in the police department, or at least they are being influenced by Rockets in one manner or another, the case files are gone and Rockets canot be tied to your family's murder by physical evidence now." he paused "You must find some way to either find the stolen evidence or find more on your own."

Natalie sat there in a curious combination of seething resolve and despondent confusion. She knew that she wanted to avenge her family's murder and that the man who did it was in Johto, but now any evidence against him here in Kanto was destroyed... would all of her work be a waste even if she did find more evidence? Could new evidence possibly be destroyed again were they really that clumsy?Did that mean that the justice system her father once worked for was now and could in the future, forget his, her mother and brother's murder without a second thought? Did that mean she was on her own with no people who could or would help her?

"Taz they... they're going to give up." Natalie said as she teared up, Taz ran up to nuzzle her and soon Silly joined him but she was blank as she numbly continued, "Even Master Koga here admits he can do nothing-"

"You must simply get-" Koga began to protest but stopped when Taz gave a meancing hiss.

Natalie's eyes darkened "You told me things that I could have found from the news or by simply accepting the fact that humans are corrupt. Everyone seems to want to prove that to me..." Silly gave a protestant whine and Taz a sympathetic look when she said this. "But I know more than you would expect Master Koga. I am going to take care of this myself as you have validly advised, but first I am going to have a word with those who would so easily give up on those whom they considered friends." Natalie stood up from the bed with weak legs but strong resolve.

"What will you do? Do you want the to be chasing after you because of your blind rage now? You must control your anger and get incrimnating evidence against the Rockets not fly in and incriminate yourself! THINK!" Koga roared as all the Pokemon out shifted nervously from the bubbling tension from both humans.

Natalie stumbled past him with Taz by her side and Silly chasing after them while mumbling "yet again you doubt what I know, I'm not stupid! I'm just going to tell them who they have betrayed and that any law enforcement will not have my loyalty if they disgrace my family's memory like this." She returned Silly as she walked outside and clumsily climbed on Taz's back. Her intimidatingly serious demeanor was somewhat shaken when she slipped from between Taz's wings until he bent down low enough for her but she continued on without a smirk.

"Good-bye Master Koga, maybe I was too harsh and ungrateful regarding the information you gave me, you opened my eyes to how much of a hold that the Rockets have in everything. I thank you. For your hospiltality and wisodm"

Koga stiffened and said, "maybe it should be this way anyway, although it is cruel that the task should fall to one so young, but then again one as young as you should not be alone in the way you are. "

Taz snorted at him then Natalie pat between Taz's two horns the said, "I was wrong, we were wrong, I'm not alone my Pokemon are here for me. I have all I need to make it through." Without further ado Taz bolted into the sky with Natalie hanging desperately to his neck.

"We-ell ma-abye I need a s-saddle!" Natalie yelled as she was bounced around while they flew toward Cerulean again.


	11. Thrill Ride

**I don't own Pokemon, what else is new?**

**I changed my mind I didn't do a soundtarch correlation for the flight. Maybe some other time I'll try something like that.**

**I would like to thank all who have reviewed my story thus far! I love all reveiws and love replying so, musa lover Silly is a boy :). Anyway-onward!**

It took a few moments for Natalie to collect herself as Taz bolted up into the skies. She was flung from side to side nearly falling off once-thankfully Taz caught her with his strong claw. Taz froze in midair and said to her "Mistress clamp my sides just behind my wings with your knees and hold onto my shoulders."

Natalie did so and Taz patiently waited for her to get settled, when she did as he asked, she could feel how much more secure she was but, "Taz my legs are still weak, I won't be able to hold them tight forever!"

"I know mistress, I know that you are weak now but an old friend told me once that sometimes you have to kick it up a notch to get things done!" he said.

Natalie smiled as Taz once again soared up into the air. By now the wind was rushing by their faces and she was blinded by the tears and her legs were already getting a little sore from trying to hold on to his sides but she ignored them and bent a little more over Taz just enough so that her eyes wouldn't be assulted by the wind. It worked, at least the wind wasn't blinding her and when her eyes cleared she saw the landscape of Kanto sprawled out beneath her. Magnificent forests were endlessly sprawled beneath them with small roads for trainers cris-crossed in-between all the forests and connecting to towns that seemed like nothing more than different colored game bobbles.

"Ta-az! Ther-is is fantastic!" Natalie could barely talk because of the powerful gusts moving her lips around for her but she couldn't help but be euphoric at the sensation of flight. She tried to scoot forward on his back infront of his wings but when she released her legs there was a sudden gust of wind that pushed her back behind Taz's wings and when he felt her slip he stopped suddenly and swerved around which sent her caterwauling off his low back and down his tail! She completely froze at the sensation of falling and staring at the wide expanse of nothingness beneath her.

"MISTRESS!" Taz screamed and lunged for her. Taz stretched his claw and caught her again and tugged her back up panicked.

As she was numbly being pulled back up onto Taz's back the phrase 'breath caught in her lungs' had never really struck home for her until now.

"Mistress, my friend are you alright?" Taz called frazzled from far away. When he lifted her onto his shoulders again she let out the breath she had been holding and breathed deeply for a moment while Taz wittered while floating aloft.

"I'm... ok that was just... intense." she said as her heart rate calmed. "I'm gonna have to learn how to fly better or..."

Taz shook his head, "we'll be fine let's go."

She nodded and they set off again. This time at least she didn't slip and even though her legs were sore she was learning how to grasp his sides and use her arms to clutch his neck. "Things are going swimmingly Taz!" she yelled over the roars of the wind.

"Why on earth would you want to swim? Water is-"

"EROOW!" a sudden screech cut Taz off, suddenly a sharp pain blossomed across Natalie's back as she screamed and felt her shirt rip a little and blood dribble down her back.

"FRIEND!" Taz bellowed as he tried to dodge a second giant brown blur by diving but she was losing focus and winced from the stinging on her back. She tried to reach to put pressure on the wound but as she pushed herself up a fearsome brown bird collided with her and sent her caterwauling off Taz's back, it's sharp beak just missing her kidney.

Natalie was now making grabby hands in the air as she tried to reach Taz's wing as she fell. All she could do was mumble as the wind rushed past her ears and the paralyzing feeling of free fall suffused her entire body. "T- Taz." she mumbled but Taz didn't hear as he was busy fending off three of the brown demon birds. "Mistress! I'm coming! GET LOST!" Taz finally roared as he gave a raging inferno punch to a bird and turning towards her.

Natalie made grabby hands for Taz again but one of the punched bird's comrades dove right at her with it's wings glowing white. "NO!" Taz and Natalie screamed. She tried to roll in midair as the wing smacked her abdomen and sent her flying even faster towards the earth. "EEYAAH!" She screamed in terror and pain which only exaserbated the pain in her ribs and cut on her back . "EEYAH! HELP ME! OMPH!" she said as she landed roughly on Taz's wing. The force of landing on her slightly brusied ribs winded her and she started to slip but he tipped to let her roll back onto his back. The rushing ebbed and they were suddenly floating.

"Uugn Th-thank you T-T-Taz." she stammered as she hyperventilated and clutched his shoulders like she would never let go however Taz wasn't listening. There was a screeching again as the demon birds dove but Taz grabbed two of them by the long necks and seethed. "How dare you..." he hissed in the most seething voice she had ever heard. " I will kill you." the brids screeched in anger but then fear as Taz's hands lit on fire as he clutched their necks tighter Natalie looked up from his shoulders and saw that lava was dripping from his maw, she became a little frightened herself but stayed silent.

The bird began to thrash but before they could struggle to much Taz tightened his grip on a bird's neck and grabbed it's body with his legs and pulled the head off. She screamed and Taz actually shuddered in irritation to quiet her, she started hyperventilating again but didn't make any more noise. By now the other bird was thrashing trying to get away-it was futile. Taz snapped it's neck and let it drop. As she heard the sickening crack she froze, she must have stopped breathing for a moment because even her ribs ceased to hurt for a time, then she suddenly felt blank and her breathing resumed normally.

Taz flew forward without another word or looking back and she barely acknowledged the landscape beneath them turning from ports to fields, with being so absorbed with a curious combination of panic and numbness beginning to consume her. _Is this what it's like to be calm in any situation? Is this what makes Erica so sucessful? But I feel very empty and she was so kind. I guess... being polite and calm like this go hand in hand._ The numbness still disconcerted her however. Fortunately after a few moments of silent flying Taz finally responded, "I did it for you my friend, I did it because they tried to hurt you. I can't lose you... I would have nothing left."

Her eyes became laden with more tears as she said, " I know... that's why I'm so disturbed." She stared at the fields below and all the Pokemon still living and frolicing through them and continued. "Because I was so upset at their death...and seeing it, and yet they tried to kill me for no reason, so I didn't care anymore." She paused, reflected on the calmness that she felt as her breathing slowed and then nuzzled Taz's neck. "Thank you Taz, you are a good friend and Pokemon."

Taz gave a pleased little growl and began their descent into Cerulean.

When the two of them landed in a field West of Cerulean Natalie dropped off of Taz's back and staggered around for a few moments because even an hour of riding something with weak, injured legs, getting slammed in the ribs, a small cut on the back and then getting a temproary adrenaline rush can leave one's legs rather wobbly. After gaining her bearings she got out her first aid kit-if it should be called that- and set to work on bandaging her back but was having trouble reaching around. Taz was obviously trying not to laugh at the ridiculous sight but decided that maybe it wouldn't be the most salubrious or sensitive option for his mistress' mental state right then so he kept silent and used the backside of his sharp claw to push the bandages on.

"Thanks Taz." she smiled after she had changed into a non-bloody shirt and stood up.

"OK now that that is sorted what do we do?" Taz asked.

She began to pace back and forth, albiet waveringly at first but no idea came to mind. Where _could_ they go to find out what happened? She scoured her memory for important places and suddenly shuddered, she couldn't... she,"no I don't want to go to where he died." Taz only looked confused at that statement.

"What?" he growled.

"I won't go to the warehouse where he died...it, it probably doesn't have any evidence in it anyway." She stammered. _I'm ok I just have to calm down._

"Mistress that is a good idea! We might-"

"Let's just walk around town." Natalie cut him off. Taz growled but she continued, "I want you to go to the Pokemon center anyway." she finished lamely.

Taz gave a small sneer that was all she needed to know what he thought of her plan but she just started walking towards town, and Taz grudingly followed. It was quite a sight as they reached Cerulean, not only was there a huge fire dragon following a younger-than-average trainer through a town, but the town also happened to be filled with water-type trainers whom she worried would see this as a freebie battle. As confident as she was in Taz's prowess she had no interest in spending half the day steamrolling douchebags.

"Hey!" a voice called. Natalie turned around to see a teenage boy with sandy hair framing his sharp face running up to her with a Poliwhirl at his side, she was in no mood for this but as she tried to decline the hoary trainer stand-by reared it's annoying head-

"Hey you have to battle, our eyes met! Or are you worried I'll beat your Charizard too easily?" the boy goaded.

So she nonchalantly took her position in the open field in the town. _It's probably put here for this reason _she mused and Taz stood out in front of her looking throughly unimpressed with his single Poliwhirl opponent. "You have the first move." she called.

"Big mistake girlie, Poliwhirl use Bubblebeam!" he said as his Poliwhirl leapt into action spraying a missle of bubbles at Taz.

"Taz dodge it." she ordered but Taz did no such thing, instead he stood firmly and took the attack. "Taz what are you doing?" Natalie called panicked, if he didn't listen to her, what could she do? But then Taz simply shook himself and the droplets evaporated.

"Just trust me mistress, I'm stronger then you think." he growled with a feral grin. Her panic evaporated just like the dropelets and she understood, he was resisting water just like they talked about.

"Taz use Dragon Rage!" she ordered. A huge ball of blue fire engulphed the Poliwhirl and it yelled in pain. Taz wasn't finished however as he flew towards the tadpole with a glowing fist and slammed it into the creature. This time all it did was moan and fall over with dizzy marks in it's eyes.

The boy was stunned at being dspatched so easily, and began shouting at her that she was a brute. She got really irritated and told him that _he_ was the one who challenged her. He murmered insults under his breath as he grudgingly shoved a surprising amount of bills in her hand and walked away. Natalie preened at the amount of money she earned but couldn't help but roll her eyes at his behavior and motioned Taz to follow her to the Pokemon center. Taz didn't seem as interested in doing so however.

"Mistress I'm fine! That bubble baffon didn't do anything to me. I could go all day!" Taz insisted. She sighed this argument was getting rather hoary as well but before she could reason with him there was a disturbance near the houses behind the Gym. "Get bat jere BRAT!" was all she could dicern from this far away. "Taz fly me over to where the noise is please, I want to know what's going on." Taz nodded and she jumped on his back. They flew up just in time to see a man in an overcooat chasing a boy not much older than herself. This piqued her curiousity and she motioned for Taz to follow them. The two of them were now running onto Nugget bridge with the grown-up quickly gaining on the dark-haired boy but neither could out run Taz. The grown-up started and tripped at the sight of a Charizard flying beside the bridge and the dark-haired boy turned around to get a glance and looked scared at the sight of Taz. He siezed the opportunity of the man tripped and procured a Pokeball and released what was inside, "Staraptor!" The creature crowed as the boy jumped on it's back with a satchel hanging off his person. she admired the Pokemon for a moment but it was the first time she noticed that the dark-haired boy had bruises all over his face_,_ her heart twanged in pity but she didn't have long to contemplate this as suddenly the grown-up pulled out a gun and yelled "oh no you don't!" He shot the wing of the magnificent bird, it started screaming "STARAPTOR!" while spiraling down back onto the bridge with the boy landing on the bottom!

"What are you doing?" she screamed as Taz flew closer to the dark-haired boy and his Staraptor but before they could get there the man shot at them narrowly missing Taz's leg! Taz flailed mid-air, the combination of the manuver and the heavy weight of her pack caused Natalie to slip off his back and tumble in an awkward trajectory to smack her jaw on the railing of the bridge. A throbbing pain jolted through her entire jaw and she barely had the awareness to grab onto the railing of the bridge. She heard a roar, a gunshot , a scream and then a splash in between the disorientation that was surfacing from the pain in her jaw and the aggravtion in her ribs from holding on. "Help!" she coughed out and a pair of human hands suddenly grabbed her wrists and pulled her halfway back onto the bridge. "Th-Thank erm." she started and then stopped because not only did it hurt to talk but she suddenly found herself pulled on top of a boy with dark brown hair that fell around his brusied, handsome face.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a smooth yet harried voice as he tried to gently get her off of him.

She tried to get focused and said, "where's Taz- WHERE'S TAZ! I heard a gunshot-"

Suddenly a huge orange blur appeared from her right and started licking her face, "Friend! I'm here, I'm so glad your safe!' Taz blurted as he licked her. The brown-haired boy deduced that she was safe and ran back over to his Staraptor.

"I'm glad your safe to Taz, what happened?" She asked still dizzy.

Taz looked over at the trainer and his bird and began," the now fish-food man shot at us so I veered-"

"Oh shit! We have to help him! He saved me, you saved me! Everyone needs to be alright!' she blurted in a barely coherent sentence. Taz ignored the interupption simply nodded and said,

"Yes that is what i was going to tell you eventually, don't you have some supplies left?"

Natalie was even then stumbling to get to the brown-haired boy and his Pokemon as she nodded to no one in particular. "Is it alright? I have some healing items take them." she mumbled.

The boy nodded gratefully as she started getting out some meager supplies: bandages, a potion, scissors and various other wares in a rapid fumble. "Wait." she paused, "Silly is a grass type! He might be able to help us. Go Silly!" A bright flash of light and Silly appeared, but seeing the state of the Staraptor he panicked and she had to yell and open her jaw far to wide to get him to calm growled to him if he knew any healing techniques. Silly gave a small nod and stood next to the Staraptor and covered it with a mystical rainbow aura. Natalie patted him on the head in thanks and Silly gave a small nervous nod in return.

So now that they had this additional help she tried to breath at a steady pace and ignore the throbbing pain her jaw and ribs. When she focused on the painful looking wound of the bird again she thought the boy was looking at her strangely every now and then, she ignored it at first but when she passed the scissors to him and he had to grab the bullet with them while Taz held the bird down and Silly kept up his healing she needed something else to focus on or she would pass out.

"Uh, um did I-" she was cut off "STARAPTOR!" "It's ok Staraptor! Here take this potion it'll be a small additional salve!" When she used the potion the bird flinched a little but the bullet was now out and it's wound started to heal. She was breathing deeply, ignoring her ribs and trying to keep her composure.

"Did you what?" the boy asked her.

"Oh I, did I twist my jaw or something? You were looking at me funny."

"Oh. No just...you were kinda growling to your Charizard, I wasn't sure if you could actually understand him..."

"Uh yeah, I'm not sure, we have been able to for a while...sometimes I can't understand people though... it's like I switch languages sometimes." she said.

He nodded and petted his slowly breathing Pokemon, "Thank you for your help, my name is Jeremiah and he is Airwolf." he said and turned to her.

She smiled, "you're welcome, thank _you_ for saving my life Jeremiah, my name is Natalie." Taz came over and nuzzled her again,she giggled "and this is Taz and that is Silly."

Jeremiah shifted his satchel and extended his hand and said with genuine happiness, "it's nice to meet you."

**AN: Well hope you enjoyed it. Some of this may seem like a roller coaster ride of emotions and I meant it to be that way. If you read into Natalie's emotions, you'll see she's kinda going down a dark way. Not good to be numb. Stay tuned! and Thank you to all my readers and reviewers!**


	12. Shaky Starts and Partnerships

**I don't own Pokemon. Nor any creative disclaimers...**

The group sat in a clearing not far from Nugget Bridge around a campfire on a comfortable night. Natalie was resting and letting her legs fully recooperate as well as waiting for the pain in her ribs to abate while Jeremiah tended Airwolf's wounded wing. One thing she noticed however was that this meal and all these injuries would deplete the last of their food and medicine. Before they went anywhere they would have to get supplies but... she wasn't sure if she would even be let back in the town after what Taz had to do. She shuddered as she remembered Taz getting shot at, she didn't know what she would do if she lost him, or even Silly. She also wondered why Jeremiah had to run so fast away from that man-no, she shook her head and Airwolf looked at her curiously. Natalie smiled at Airwolf and made her desicion.

"Hey I just wanted to say thank you so much for saving me. I..." she paused unsure if she should continue but she just wanted to clear this up, Jeremiah looked at her expectantly as she finished, "I was curious for a moment as to why you were running away from that man," he shifted uncomfortably at this. "But then I realized that _he_ shot at Taz and _you_ were the one who saved me. ...If there is anything that I could do for you, please ask." she said.

He looked at his Staraptor's wing and then back to her and said, "I was simply doing what I thought was right, your Charizard saved me and he probably wouldn't be very happy if I let you fall would he? Not to mention, you gave me your healing supplies when it's obvious that you didn't have very many."

She smiled at him and gave Taz a grin, Silly whined and nuzzled her hand and she gave him an affectionate rub on the head as well. "Your welcome, but I was going to mention that, I will now be out of food and medicine and I didn't see anything on you except for that satchel, which surprised me actually, you having no supplies, but I'm not sure that I'll be let back in town after what Taz had to do."

"You'll be fine, no one else was around to see. Good thing obviously." he said cryptically. "Plus I usually have supplies too but I got seprarated from my... traveling partner, but he was a douchebag anyway so I'll just buy some food or something and cram it in this bag until I buy another one."

She looked at him curiously for a moment then shrugged, "Ok so I'll go get some supplies tomorrow, I won a crap ton of money from this annoying blond guy with a Poliwhirl so-" Jeremiah dropped an empty rice bowl at the mention of the boy and Natalie looked at him perturbed. "Y-you beat him?" he stammered.

"Well yeah...do you know him?" she asked wondering why this nice boy would know such a jerk.

"Know him? He was my traveling partner! I got separated from him because I thought he ditched me! but now I see that he simply lost all the money we were giv-" he paused horrified, it seems he said more than he wanted too but the damage was done.

"Money for what?" she asked with curiousity. But there was a feeling of unease in her stomach.

"Uh, um it's missives about Cerulean...ssspecifically about the legendary Pokemon aledgedly hiding in Cerulean cave. I was forced into getting these!" he squeaked.

She sat there stunned, that was quite a job for a kid. She didn't think that he would go into that cave with only one Pokemon, even if he was collaborating with the older guy why- she stopped, she didn't want the likes of that jerk she battled in that cave! Ismau was in there!

"You can't go in there!" Natalie barked suddenly. Jeremiah who was already nervous about her finding out about the content of the 'missives' fell over. She ignored this and turned icy eyes to him and said,"who paid you to find out more information about that cave?" Taz had been listening intently and began growling. Airwolf hobbled over to his trainer and gave a supercilious leer to Taz. But he seemed to acknowledge and disdain the fact that he couldn't do much in his condition. Silly hopped over next to her wary of Airwolf or Jeremiah getting to close.

"W-what? I'm just-" he withered under her and Taz's glares. As Taz stomped up towards him Airwolf gave an angry squwak and flew up into the air and prepared an Aerial Ace! "No Airwolf don't fly!" he panicked.

Natalie stood her ground in the sudden batllefield with Silly beside her and Taz prepared an Ember, but then Airwolf wavered in pain and unfortuitously veered towards the raging river beside the campsite! "NO!" Jeremiah screamed as he ran towards his partner. Natalie had a sudden flashback of a kind Rocket who didn't really want to be where he was and barked at Taz, "Taz save Airwolf right now!" Taz looked at her incredulous but jumped in the air and swooped into action. There was a terrifying splash as the wounded bird was temprorarily submerged under the raging froth. There were screams of panic from both trainers as Taz hovered over the water. Then further downstream Airwofl finally pulled his head above water to grab some desperate breaths. With speed that would impress a Pigeot Taz swooped and grabbed the Staraptor by the neck just as he sank again. Natalie looked so proud and cheered Taz but Jeremiah only sank to the ground in relief. Relief and gratefulness took over his handsome features when Taz flew over the river with Airwolf in his arms. Airwolf gave a corybantic squwak and Pecked Taz's chest and he dropped him without ceremony. Silly gave a quick giggle but silenced himself quickly as Taz walked between his mistress and the boy and glowered.

Natalie waited for her heart to stop thundering and then walked around him and spoke softly to Jeremiah as he held his Pokemon closely, "With someone like you who loves his Pokemon dearly and who saves strangers on whims of kindness, how can someone like you work for the likes of Team Rocket?"

He mumbled something as he held Airwolf tightly, still shaken from the close call.

"Sorr my mistresss can hearr you." Taz growled.

He looked to Taz blankly and then looked at her, "You hate the Rockets."

It was not a question but she nodded anyway.

"I hate them too!" he burst out surprising Natalie and every Pokemon in the camp. "I hate them they abuse people and Pokemon but what choice do I have but to serve them!" He finished with a desolate sob. Her heart twanged in pity and even Taz looked away but she persisted, "Did they steal Airwolf for you and you have to serve them to keep him?"

"No!" he yelled and Airwolf gave an angry squwak but Taz silenced him with a snarl. She patted Taz on the wing and he continued, "I caught him as a S-Starly when we visted Sinnoh about a year ago, I-I went with my mom and my step-brother, that nasty brute." he hissed under his breath. She stayed silent, so he didn't steal the Staraptor, but that didn't explain- her thought were cut off by Taz growling

"Why arrre you worrking with the Rocketsss?" he was tired of his friend's questions being avoided.

Jeremiah looked blankly at him and when Natalie translated his tears evaporated and were replaced with a shudder. This only made her worry wax. He wrasped, "My f-father works for Team Rocket, he wants this information and if I don't bring it he'll hunt me down or have my step-brother do it."

The three of them had idenical looks of shock and horror. Taz looked to Airwolf for confirmation and he gave a terse and sad nod, Taz felt a panging of guilt in his chest but he wouldn't bend his pride either, he had to protect his friend.

"Ok...ok so he wants that information, but I don't want him to have it and it's clear that you don't like your father that much anyway, is there somewhere you could go, somewhere you and the info would be safe?" She asked wanting so much to break down and hug him but barely keeping her composure.

A look of both despondancy and gratitude graced his charming features but then a bright ray of hope appeared. Which both comlimented and contrasted his bruised viasge. "there is someone who can help me! His name is Mr. Fuji and he fights against Pokemon exploitation, my father and his associates are always complaining about him. He might hide me if I appraise this info!" he said suddendly jubilant and Airwolf wriggled in excitment like his trainer.

Natalie and Taz were shocked at the abrupt change in mood and Silly was lying on the ground, long since given up trying to follow the emotional whiplash. But she was pusillanimous to let the mood be directed to what it was so she let it be.

"I'll go to him and..." he paused. His jubilee sliding off his face as rapidly as it had come.

"Wait a second!" she said angrily. 'I'm coming with you! How do I know who you will turn that information into if I don't come!" She was obdurate that Isamu or indeed any strong or legendary Pokemon not fall in the hands of Rocket slime.

"I know." he said lugubriously. "I just realized, with you being seen near me, you are now at risk at being hunted like me. If I don't procure this missive to my father you will be in the same boat as me...all because you helped me." He hung his head and droplets fell to the ground beneath him as his Staraptor nuzzled him.

"Yourr think that they can get herrr?" Taz snarled. "They will have to go thrrrrough me!"

"Me tooom!" Silly said nearby.

She looked at both of them, grateful for their loyalty and love and then walked over to Jeremiah and stood beside him despite Airwolf's sharpe gaze. "I was already hated by them. I outsmarted them in Celadon, in their own base." she said quietly. He looked uo at her with only slightly wet eyes.

She continued, "We didn't save each other because we were concered about each other's pasts, or enemies. We rescued each other and Pokemon because it was the right thing to do! Because with each act of sacrafice we were becoming friends!"

His eyes were no longer wet, although they were alight with what could be percieved as admiration. Her eyes however were now starting to get misty but she endured. "That is what makes true teams strong, they love and rely on one another. That is what makes true friends so powerful!." she declared looking to her team and the pair before her with emotion pouring ou of her.

He stood up and she wrapped him in a big hug that he shyly returned after a moment. Airwolf looked at Taz and Silly and Silly gave a weak smile in return while Taz and Airwolf transposed terse nods.

"Ok so tommorrow I will get a bunch of supplies and then we will head out for where Mr. Fuji lives... where does he live?" she asked.

"He lives in Lavender town, in fact we're a route and a mountain hike away from said town so be prepared for that. I can buy some extra food and hold in it my satchel because it may take us a week or so." he said, suddenly all buisness and she nodded with a plan to buy supplies early tommorrow and get started.

There was no more to say so all five of them finally settled down to rest by the dying campfire. Neither of them got rest for a while though. Natalie lay staring at the stars, worried that he might run away with the missive, but she knew that Taz was a light sleeper. At the same time Jeremiah was staring at the campfire feeling guilty about the missive and what it was but the both of them evetually realized that they wouldn't leave because they were already starting to depend on each other.


	13. Relationships on the Rocks

**I don't own Pokemon but I sure wish I owned more zeal for updating faster and a clever disclaimer, alas I do not.**

**Boy this chapter turned out longer than I thought. Readers, you like long chapters right? ;)**

Natalie woke with a start from a nasty smell coming from the other side of Taz's sleeping form, she uncurled herself from Taz's warm body and looked over to see Airwolf sleeping on top of Jeremiah. It was quite a funny sight and she couldn't help but giggle. When Jeremiah heard her, he pushed himself up casuing Airwolf to roll off him and land on the dirt with a thump. He flapped up flustered and looked over at her giggling at his abrupt wake-up and huffed acrimoniously. It was around this time that Taz stirred and stretched and looked behind him to see Silly with a small puddle of drool seeping out of his mouth, was that the source of the smell? She wondered.

"It seems to me that there is a lamentable side-effect when your Gloom sleeps so soundly he drools." Jeremiah said. Seeing her inquisitive look he elaborated, "Yes Gloom secrete an acrid drool to attract prey, some weirdo's even like that revolting saliva." He finished with open repulsion.

She couldn't help but mirror his disgust, not at Silly, but at people who would enjoy something so nasty. Silly must not have needed to attract prey since she fed him so this had never come up. She decided to return him and the smell instantly abated. The group breathed a sigh of relief and the Pokemon stretched while the trainers packed up what little they had.

"Ok we can go to the Pokemart right now, even though it's only a little past dawn they're open early because they cater toward trainers."

She yawned and stretched as she hoisted up her bag, "Well I don't plan to be a trainer that always wakes up this early."

He rolled his eyes, "You've been slacking so far I see. Yes trainers get up early because we use every bit of daylight we can get! You probably wouldn't last 5 minutes in a battle with a real trainer." he jibed.

Icy rage coursed through her veins and it was lucky for him that she was busy holding the bag and couldn't move fast enough to hit him but Taz beat her to it and knocked him to the ground before they even reached the city limits. Airwolf looked pissed as Jeremiah bounced up indignantly. "What was that for?" he yelled.

Natalie rounded on him with Taz right behind giving a glare worthy of a...Staraptor, to Airwolf as she snapped. "Listen up shithead! I don't care that you have had a rough past, I would think that would make you a little nicer to people who are kind to you!"

"No, no I-" he stammered.

"I HAVE BEEN TREATED WITH DERISION FROM ALMOST EVERY OTHER TRAINER SINCE THE START OF THIS JOURNEY!" She screamed. "Taz and I have overcome so much together, Silly too!"-

"CALM DOWN!" he interupped. She stopped but was still breathing hard, he looked at her bewildered, "I guess I won't be antagonizing you in the morning anymore." he trailed off.

Her breathing began to calm as she looked over to where Taz and Airwolf were now having a terse Pokemon conversation and she turned to him, "it's not that, it's what I said. Look how strong Taz is," the dragon looked over at her but then Airwolf smacked him with his good wing that had a metal covering on it and Taz belched an Ember at him. "I know he can do some stuff on his own, but we still work together. Don't I get any credit for having a Charizard listen to me? But no, except for Erica and Koga since he saved me, trainers always underestimate me and belittle me..." she looked at him and his guilty expression then said, "don't worry Jeremiah, and I'm sorry. I see now that you weren't ridiculing me but I sometimes wonder if I did all the training in the world would people still be mean to me?" She finished in a sorrowful whisper that was quite the contrast to her mood just moments ago.

Jeremiah did not waver at the change in tone, "Yes people can be cruel, you might as well learn that now. How come you haven't? Your family was killed!"

The sudden anger and brashness was ferly,"I-I just thought that love for T-" now she stammered.

"You just need to learn how to use their scorn for your adavantage." he said in a quiet voice. It seemed like he was reminising.

"How?" she asked.

"Why it is very simple. You will continue to train!" he yelled agitated making her jump and causing Taz and Airwolf to bring their conversation to an abrupt halt. "You will do MY training from now on and people will still underestimate us and we will crush them! I have dealt with the same crap that you have in training! I'll make everyone wish they never scorned us!" he said with a flourish.

Natalie raised her head and looked at him, his eyes looked so...cold. "What...what has made you this way?" she finally decided to ask.

He looked away and there was an awkward silence before he answered simply, "I've been hurt by Rockets too."

Her heart was pounding at the possibilities of what he meant. In the short time since they met there had already been close calls and drama, what could have happened in the past that would make all these hazrads of training seem like child's play? "I...what..." She couldn't find the words to respond.

"Let's go get supplies and leave." he said in a enervated tone. She could only nod.

_Pokemon conversation:_

"What is your trainer's problem?" Airwolf cried vociferously. He was tired of the voilent mood swings when his trainer talked with this human.

Taz snarled, "I'll tell you what the problem is, my friend was gracious when dealing with the shit that her fellow humans gave her but no more! She has suffered enough and I will not let her be insulted anymore! YOUR trainer needs to watch his mouth!"

"Oh please, you think your trainer is the only one who has suffered? Why don't you think about what WE have been-"

The fire dragon ignored him and looked over when his trainer said his name but then Airwolf smacked him with a steely wing. "Listen to me you big lug!" he snapped. Taz responded by spitting an Ember at him which only further aggravated him. "You think your such a hot-shot? If I wasn't injured I would beat your ass!"

Taz didn't even growl this time, instead his voice was full of barely controlled rage. "It appears as though my mistress is not the only one who is underestimated around here. Yet I would think that creatures wouldn't be stupid enough to antagonize _me_. I will show-"

Suddenly the trainers yelling reached an alarming peak and the two of them fell silent.

After getting what they needed and healing up their Pokemon, during which nurse Joy chided them for getting Airwolf injured but impressed at how well they bandaged him up. Both Jeremiah and herself were very nervous during the encounter if she found out how Airwolf got injured. "Did he get a fracture in his wing? I've seen those emergency wrapped like this too."

"Uuh.." Jeremiah paused, then said "Well no, he... we were battling a Nidorino and it's horn punctured through his wing...a little." He said nervously. Joy gave him a sharp look and Natalie couldn't speak."I knew you would be mad at me since he got hurt like that. It's why I didn't come by at first but luckily she was there to help me so I didn't need to." He hung his head in shame. Both females had different perceptions as to what it was from. Joy insisted that next time they come to a center right away, all they want to do is help after all. The two of them nodded and no more was said.

After getting cleared from nurse Joy they headed East to the mountainous route in between Cerulean and Lavender. The grass was scraggly to begin with and now even that had faded into scarce weeds in the brown and tan canyon. Taz was flying just above the party and doing some marvelous manuvers around stalagmites and gliding right beside the walls. Natalie couldn't help but giggle at his antics, he seemed to be having a little too much fun simply 'being a guard' that he insisted on doing since Airwolf had been returned to his Pokeball, but at least he was getting exercise. Jeremiah was not of the same opinion.

"He will wear himself out, there are trainers with rock type Pokemon all through this canyon and route beyond! Call him down here." he barked.

She huffed, "He is getting exercise! Wasn't there some jactation about doing more of that earlier?"

"What I do is not simple exercise. It is specialized training against types that your Pokemon are weak against, for your Charizard there are many in this canyon. Get him down here and we will start now."

She nodded and called him then said, "I think we have already been doing that. If that is your special training." Taz landed beside them and Jeremiah asked,

"Oh? Do tell."

So she told him about the Brace given to her in Celadon and the battle with Graveler soon after. He at least seemed to be impressed with their victory then. When she told him how Taz fought off dozens of Tentacool to save her in between Celadon and Fushcia he looked impressed and pensieve. "Did you have the brace on when you fought the Tentacool?"

"Uuh..." she looked at Taz who shook his head. "I guess not, we didn't have it near the beginning of our training either when we mostly fought Ratattata either."

He paused then said, "I guess you have been doing this training, it is extremely advantageous for regular trainer battles and you will need an inordinate amount of endurance and power if you plan on fighting team Rocket anyway.

"Sounds great! Is that why you do it?" she asked.

"Let's get started!" he snapped. "You, ugly dragon, get that damn brace back on right now if you know what's good for you!"

Taz snarled and seethed, "Yourrrr not the bosssss of merrr. You figurrrr that out if yourrr know whatssss good forrr you."

Natalie translated then said in a brittle voice. "I must agree. We will do this training, Taz get that Brace from my bag on please." Taz gave a glare to Jeremiah but did so. "But I will order my Pokemon to do so. I don't order Airwolf around do I?"

"Fine, I'm just concerned you'll be to soft. Ths training is supposed to push limits." he said.

"We will be strong, aren't we getting started?"

He nodded, "order Taz to hit that different colored canyon wall over there with a Brick Break, he knows that right?"

She nodded and directed Taz to do so. he rushed over to begin but even his hardest hits hardly seemed to discommode the wall. Still he persisted. She watched him for a second but he was jesturing her over to a path that went steeply upward. They started on it keeping an eye on Taz who wasn't but forty feet away in the canyon.

"What are we doing up here?" she asked looking around. It was a small rise above the crevice that only extended a half-mile before it sloped down onto the path. There was a fairly narrow crack in the earth not far away to the right and higher rock walls to the North.

"_I_ am going to educate you on how to do sixteens. This is an ideal spot, because if you miss a jump over that crevice over there then you fall." he said.

"You're going to do sixteens? What are those?" she asked perturbed.

"_You_ are going to do sixteens. They involve running from this line," he drew a line five feet from the crevice ran and jumped over the crevice, "To this line." made another line five feet away on that side. Then he jumped back over and pointed "while jumping over the crack...sixteen times."

Natalie was dumbstruck. But she looked down at Taz hammering away at the wall and prepared to drop her bag to do them with a sigh.

"I wouldn't drop that bag, you might as well get used to do the drills with it now." Jeremiah smirked.

She gave him a glare that would peel paint but hefted her bag securely on her shoulders and went up to the line and ran..and jumped..and turned and ran and jumped...again. She was already tired by the time she did it five times and the bag's shuffling noise was annoying as it's weight. He kept looking at her until she stopped after doing it sixteen times gasping. "Well done. Your desire to work as hard as your Pokemon is apparent and valuable. After you do sixteen then you rest for forty-five seconds and then do it fourteen times, subtracting two each time. She didn't even want to waste her energy telling him how Arceus-awful this drill was and did hr seconds of rest. after she began the drill again he stopped looking at her and began to do push-ups on the ground. This made her feel better that he was working too but when she was about halfway done with the second set an ear-splitting roar startled both trainers. She ran over to where Taz was pounding the wall and...saw it collapsed? Nearby three large and angry Onix were attacking Taz!

"TAZ!" she screamed. He looked up at her distracted and got slammed with a Rock Throw. "GRRAAA!" he roared. She freaked an prepared to run down there but Jeremiah grabbed her.

"Order him from up here if you must, but this is the training!" he barked.

She glared at him, "Did you know they lived there?" He pointed at Taz so she called to Taz, "Can you beat them Taz?" But Taz was already up in the air and seemed to radiate an angry glow. He gave a her a claw up and proceeded to hit the Onix with Ember's strong enough to irritate them and sending Dragon Rages powerful enough to know the rock snakes into the canyon walls! It was lucky that Natalie wasn't standing on the uprise because of the tremor that the slam caused. Jeremiah wasn't so fortunte and fell on his face. She was about to laugh at his misfortune when there was another roar and a few more Onix charged onto the scene! "Taz look out!" But he already saw them and shot Dragon Rages in thier direction and smacked the oness near him with mighty Brick Breaks. Wait though...were those Dragon _Rages_? They seemed to be a more linear blue fire now. As she stared Jeremiah stood next to her, "this training is already seeing results it seems, that is Dragonbreath! Much more direct and powerful."

Just then an Onix snuck up beside Taz and hit him with another Rock Throw that really appeared to hurt Taz. " This training is going to get my Pokemon hurt-screw this." She pulled out Silly's Pokeball and ran down into the canyon. "Silly go! Use your Ice and Absorb to help Taz!" she threw the ball and Silly appeared. He screamed as an Onix was thrown in his general direction and shook the whole canyon. "No, no Silly use Ice and Absorb! You gotta help Taz! Please!" she begged.

Silly gulped but raced into the fray using his speed more for dodging than any strategy but his attacks did give Taz an edge to beat them with one Brick Break and sometimes two Dragonbreaths. The Onix's didn't take kindly to Silly's appearance and one of them charged at him glowing white. Silly shrieked and bolted out of the way while the snake collapsed shaking the earth. Natalie was practically clawing her face in panic at this point but Taz seemed to have gained a second wind after all the damage and was bashing Onix's left and right with Fire Punches and Brick Breaks. During the fray an Onix horn torn into his left wing givng it a wide cut causing blood to spill all over. She screamed and so did Taz and the Onix which the boiling blood fell on. A little over half of them got splashed and ran. Taz spewed an Ember onto his cut caterizing it. The Onix charged again and suddenly Natalie heard a Pokeball open and Airwolf swooped in and started whacking the Onix with his legs and wings. She didn't know what attcak that was but it detered more of the Onix. She was grateful for this until several of the snake stampeded towards her!

She froze at the sight of them running at her and the very earth rumbling beneath her but Taz's panicked roar snapped her out of it and she leapt up the path to the uprise but the shaking caused her to almost fall! She jumped with strength that alarmed herself and grabbed onto the ledge nearby as the snakes rushed underneath her. Jeremiah saw what happened and was soon next to her pulling her up. She was shaking all over but stumbled over to see what was happening below. Airwolf being in the battle cut Taz's burden in half and soon all of the Onix were getting thrown down. Silly was using Absorbs and Ice a lot but he was mostly dodging Onix when they turned white, making them smash into another. she didn't know when their numbers had gotten so astronomical but the battle and retreating was reaching all up and down the canyon! She wanted to help her Pokemon but wasn't sure how. Suddenly about twenty feet from where Taz and Airwolf were fending off Onix, Silly took a lot of damage when one of the white tackles actually hit him, luckily it made that particular Onix faint upon impact but Silly was trapped under the weight. She procured Silly's Pokeball and recalled him before he was trampled by more snakes stampeding away from Airwolf and Taz. Before he was returned though he gave a her a look of dejection.

She was distracted from this by a "I WILL NEVERRRR GIVE UPRR!" Taz roared at the top of his lungs. By this point he had to ground every so often because of the caterized tear in his wing. Airwolf was desperately dodging the last remenants of the Onix's attacks and was slamming them with metal-cover wings now, but they were finally down to two-to-one.

"You can do it Taz!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. She wasn't sure if he heard her over the din but he threw one last Brick Break strong and desperate enough to throw his last Onix seventy-five feet away in the direction they came from. Natalie screamed in approval and Airwolf and Taz cheered as the last Onix ran away.

Natalie and Jeremiah clambered down from the cliff and she ran over to Taz and gave him a huge hug. Jeremiah proceeded to praise Airwolf as well. "Taz you were amazing! You beat...I don't even know how many Onix!" that reminded her, she released Silly and tried to give him a hug but he blasted her with Ice and knocked her backwards. Leaving her stupified. Taz growled but Silly turned his back on them.

Sitting on the ground lost she stammered "What...what's wromg Silly?"

He huffed, "Yoom send me gloto a terrifoming battom without gloing oom what's going om gloo the gloonly reason yoom did was so I couloom help Taz. Isom gloom all I'm glorth?"

It was a rare moment when Natalie was just as lost as Jeremiah even though she could understand him. She sat there stunned into silence at her own Pokemon disliking her now when she heard the growls of both Taz and Airwolf but it was surprisingly Airwolf who spoke first.

"So, letor me get starrait. Rapou want battor raptore, but when sta let's torou even raptough you no rapike situaptor then you no battor want?" Grasptor Pokemon cowaptors." Airwolf sneered.

Natalie barely caught that and it seems like Jeremiah could inately translate what Airwolf said and finally had some understanding of what was going on. Her heart was pounding again and she was sure that this one day alone was going to shave years off her life from sheer pain and panic. She almost started to cry but tried to hold it in. When Taz saw this he finally snapped.

"She is trying to prrraise you! Teamsss are supposed to help each otherrr!-"

"Thoom no teaoom!" Silly vociferated loud enough to stun everyone into silence, except Taz,

"Trrrainersss alwayss use starterrss most! If you wantsss all attention be starterrrr forr someone elsess!" Taz snarled at the huffing Gloom.

Silly got up to walk away but Natalie yelled "NO!" and he froze. "I'll do better Silly, I just... this was supposed to be training for Taz." Silly's eyes got icy at this. "But I didn't know how bad it would get..." she looked over at Jeremiah "Why didn't you tell me what you were planning? Now I have this mess!" she cried her eyes wet now.

Before Jeremiah could anwser Silly did "don't blaoom hoom glainooer. Yoom just no knoom glat you doing." he sneered.

The dam finally broke and Taz seared Silly with a huge Ember tha KOed him. She broke down crying and Taz growled to Airwolf that they should leave him behind. Airwolf mumbled something to Jeremiah but he hushed them and patted her on the back. Then he said, "This training was a success, for Taz. Airwolf was always well enough to help out and I knew that Gloom could help too."

She sniffed at the mention of Silly and he continued, "Airwolf tells me, and apparently the two of them agree, that Silly is being ungrateful. In all my time with you, you have never abused or even yelled at Gloom. I knew that Onix would appear, granted not that many, but I didn't know that your Gloom would get all huffy for battling in circumstances that he didn't like."

"What did I do? Can that be all that's wromg?" she sobbed.

He paused then said, "I don't know, but we're burning sunlight, already half the day is gone. Return Taz and your Gloom and we can sort it out later.

She sniffed and wiped her eyes and did so, thanking Taz one more time. He only looked upset, instead of proud like he should have been. Then the two of them and Airwolf walked on for the rest of the day in silence.

**hoped you liked it. I'm actually really proud of the action scene and the Pokemon scene at the end. :) Review and tell me what you think! Constructive critisism is welcome.**


	14. Falling Apart

**I do not own Pokemon**

The next few days after Silly's bitter paroxysm were unsettling for Natalie and droll for the rest of the group. It didn't help that for the next few days they only ran into an occasional hiker and at one point a mob of Geodude. The former of which Taz demolished and the latter Airwolf breezed through. There was some drama when Natalie tried to let Silly out against a hiker but he just sneered at her and the Sandslash that he was supposed to be facing. The air had become excruciatingly hot for a moment as Taz lost his temper and smacked Silly out of his way and dispatched the Sandslash with ease. Jeremiah's face tightened at her trying to placate Taz and reason with the Gloom getting only cold sneers in return.

"C'mon Silly! I'm trying to let you battle, isn't that what you wanted?" she pleaded. she recieved only a clipped "oom gloom." in response that made Taz roar in fury and try to burn him into a crsipy strip and made Airwolf look as stoic and pissed as his trainer.

Natalie's eyes welled up as she returned him and declined asking for a translation, only letting him out for meals from then on. After this had persevered for two days Jeremiah's patience imploded and he said "Release him! If he won't battle he shouldn't eat our food! That isn't how a team works and we don't have unlimited resources to deal with spolied brats." He finished breathing like a winded Tauros.

Her hands were shaking and heart pounding after his outburst as she forced herself to look into his eyes. The truth was she suspected that something like this would happen ever since Sily's outburst but she didn't want it to turn out this way. "I.." she choked "I hope that we could wait and work things out. Teams aren't s-supposed to give up on each other easily either."

He signed, sounding enervated. "Why doesn't he try the same thing then?" And sat back down to a gobbsmacked Natalie.

Taz was munching on his meal and smiling on the inside but he would never let his friend know. He knew that she was detrimented about Si- the weed's treachery. Taz knew that he deserved to be released...and proabably would be eventually but if he were to say anything it would hurt his mistress especially badly but since the boy human agreed with him, he was saying all the right things that Taz wanted to-without having to. Best yet if the weed was gone Taz would get all the battles. Contrary to what his friend worried, if he could handle a juxtapose of Tentacool as a Charmeleon he was more than amenable to beat any other water Pokemon now. All of them settled down to sleep with his friend curled up beside him for warmth. It was truly a wonderful life he led.

When they reached Lavender town the next morning they immediately made a beeline for the comfort of the Pokemon center after dealing with the solicitude of the debacle with Silly on top of the discomforts of the road it was truly a welcome sight.

"Hello Nurse Joy, can we get our Pokemon healed and something to eat?" asked Natalie politely.

"Of course I'll take your Pokemon and there is a cafe down that hallway." she pointed itowards it. "But your Charizard will need to be returned, my job will be a lot easier that way." she giggled.

Natalie smiled and patted Taz on the snout and returned him. She handed him his Pokeball as Jeremiah did the same with Airwolf's and started to walk oward the cafeteria. She tenatively felt Silly's Pokeball. Her face fell and she looked down glumly. What was she going to do?

"Is something wrong?" asked Nurse Joy kindly. Jeremiah turned from the hallway and looked over at her, she waved at him to go eat. "I'll catch up with you soon." she said and he nodded knowingly.

Joy was still looking concerned as she started up the healing machine and Natalie finally piped up, "My Pokemon doesn't want to be with me anymore. I... I think I failed him and I'm torn because I don't think teams should give up on each other, but Sil- this Pokemon has totally repudiated me." she said morosely.

Nurse Joy turned to her as she reached out her hand for Silly's Pokeball. She gave it to her and Joy said, "this happens a lot more than most trainers think. They don't teach it in the Pokemon schools because as you said they don't want trainers to get pessimistic and give up their Pokemon at the drop of a hat. But just as some humans have contention issues with personalities, so too can humans and Pokemon. But they often are less likely to leave unless you do something really bad. So what did you do?" she asked evenly.

Natalie rubbed the back of her head, "I often use my starter, Taz even against foes that he is weak against and that Silly would be strong against. I wanted to amplify his resistance to his weaknesses, since he has so many so I used him a lot... much more than Silly." she hung her head realizing her mistake, she had treated Silly as nothing but backup for Taz, _that isn't a team. _She thought.

"Well I see that you are sorry and I think you know what you did wrong but sometimes these things can't just be pushed aside. It appears, and Silly knows this, that you have a predilection for Taz and will always use him more. I think it would be best if you gave Silly to Mr. Fuji. He lives close by he center here in town." She said softly, but there was no mistaking the experience in the matter or the order.

She looked up, "Mr. Fuji...takes Pokemon?"

"Why of course!" Nurse Joy said, her cheerfulness returning, "Mr. Fuji is beloved around here because of his kindness towards Pokemon. Whether it be taking in abandoned Pokemon or healing wild sick ones he is a Meowth's tuxedo, so to speak." she finished brightly.

Natalie's heart started beating rather fast. _We came here to see Mr. Fuji, and now I have a situation that he could have advice on! _" We could fix this." she murmured to herself.

Nurse Joy turned toward her puzzled and her skin tinged pink. She smiled and began walking towards the cafeteria with a new spring in her step. The room was fairly crowded but she couldn't quite see Jeremiah in the mob so she decided to get in the line and then look for him. All the while waiting and choosing her food she pondered what she could change about her battling so that Silly would feel like he was part of a team. But could she change? _If nurse Joy is right and this will either take a long time to fix...or can't be, I will be using Taz during that time anyway. Jeremiah also makes a good point that I can't afford to feed a Pokemon that won't obey me._ She paused, she couldn't let a small amount of negativity necessitate Silly's release. Caught in the middle of her musings she didn't notice Jeremiah waving to her at his table.

"About time you noticed me." he cheeked. "I didn't plan on waving my arms around like an indiot any longer if you putzed past me."

She gave a weak smile to him and sat down, "we need to go seee Mr. Fuji." She blurted out.

He stared at her, "of course we do, that's why we came here."

"I know but now I hear that he helps trainers and takes Pokemon. You know if they're abandoned or he helps trainers that are estranged from their Pokemon." she said.

Realization dawned on his face, "so he can help you with the problem with your Gloom whether it be to repair the relationship or just get rid of him. Excellent."

A small vein throbbed in her temple, "that is the general idea yes, although I would prefer to facilitate friendship again." she replied tersely.

"I just hope that if he tells you to let it go you will do so without complaint." he said and then began eating insinutating the end of the discussion.

_Seems there's a lot of things that I have to learn to deal with. I can't even imagine what grown-up trainers deal with. Maybe that's why Erika has decided to be calm about everything?_

After picking up their Pokemon they both sautered out to the housing area outside Lavender town looking for Mr. Fuji's home. The sun shone brightly down around them and they both let out their starters. Taz especially enjoyed the warm sunlight and Airwolf also stretched out his strong wings, even Jeremiah who nornally had a more serious demeanor than her was grinning at the Pokemon. Natalie took a deep breath and stared out at the fields and had to squash a feeling of guilt as she looked upon all the wild flowers scattered in the grass...Silly. She had to let him out, why should a grass Pokemon not get the chance to revel in this scenery? Before anyone could reason with her otherwise she got out his Pokeball- "Go Silly!" and a bright light later the Gloom was standing before them. Jeremiah's smile faded and Taz just floated in midair as she and Silly looked at each other for a moment then she said with a choked voice, "Hey Silly, don't you think it's nice here?"

The Gloom didn't seem to be to concerned about her opinion but he still gave the first grin they had seen in a while as he looked around and then nodded his head. She had a smile on her face but also a bittersweet feeling in her chest._ At least he would like it here._ she thought.

"Good because you're going too-" Jeremiah started suddenly and she clapped a hand over his mouth. Silly's grin disappeared and she hissed "_Don't make this situation any more antagonistic then it needs to be._" He rolled his eyes and suddenly Silly said,

"Gloom... oom loom gloo? Oom gloom oom." Natalie sighed, it was obvous that Silly no longer trusted her at all and it was anooying that she could't understand him.

"Ok Taz would you care to do a translation?" she asked.

However all Taz did was blow a rasberry at Silly and growl "Dooon't letr the doorrr hit yourrr assss on the way outrr."

Jeremiah was laughing and pissing her off. She didn't want this behavior encouraged so she barked, "Is that what he said?" Taz swerved in the air flabbergasted but she continued, "No? then I suggest you tell me what he said or this nice walk is over!" Her rant ended with a ringing silence form every other creature in the group until Airwolf swooped down and translated.

Jeremiah looked over at her with a look filled with an odd combination of smugness and pity and said, "Apparently he said that yes he does like it here, let him leave now."

Natalie stood there, the cold feeling in her soul quite the antithesis to the warm enviroment around them. She understood why he was smug, he was right about the situation with Silly but he was _her_ Pokemon and she would end it her way! "No." she said quietly.

Everyone except Silly had a look of surpsie on their faces, Silly however had a vein in his temple.

"Leoom om gloom!" he said and now everyone else had recovered from their shock and Jeremiah yelled "I told you that you should let him go if it was the best way! Don't you see-" his rant was cut off by a growl from Taz. The fire dragon was no longer very happy about the situation or the boy. He would stand by his mistress...but Silly was bismirching the name of a Pokemon team. How long would this go on?

He gently nudged his friends face with his snout and asked, "Mistressss, why do yourr want tor keep him, if he won't lisssten and wantsss to gorr?"

"Gloom gloo oom om gloom!" Silly started to yell but counfounding everyone it was Airwolf who started screeching at the plant.

"Shut up both of you!" Jeremiah yelled but she just tried to put all her irritation away and focused on Taz.

_"Don't you talk about me as if I'm not standing right here! I-"_

_"Shut up!" _Airwolf screeched. _"No one cares what you think because YOU chose to distance yourself from us you stupid plant! I'll be thanking Arceus when-_

"Shut up both of you!" his master yelled.

She reached up on her tip toes and patted the huge fire dragon's snout gently and began as if there had been no interruption. "I am tired of everyone thinking I have no authority. But I suppose my appearance is to blame for this, none the less it will end." she stated coldly and turned to the boy first.

"I know that you say these things and push me to work harder because we are friends and you think that I can be great and that you know better. In the case with Gloom you have known better. But I will ask you one last time to not boss me around. Especially concerning my Pokemon." She then turned to Silly and despite his irritation with her he backed away at the sight of the glare she was giving him. "As for you I will set you free, but unless you want to get caught by a trainer who might treat you badly I won't release you in the wild. You are staying with Mr. Fuji." she said.

Natalie and Taz were standing across from Silly making the air exceedingly uncomfortable.

"Well..." Jeremiah said slowly. "I'm just gonna...go." and he walked in the direction of the cottages with an eager Airwolf flying above him.

"Let's go." she said quietly and both her Pokemon followed, Silly reluctantly so.

The rest of the walk was quieter and a lot less pleasant. Graciously thought they soon saw the cottage they wanted. Or rather Airwolf did.

"Raptor! Sta! Star!" he said gesturing towards a cottage.

"Oh thankr Arceusss! You cannot imagine howrr tirred I am of this crap!" Taz growled flying up joining Airwolf in the air.

She looked up and sure enough just up the road was a modest sized cottage with a sign that read : "Mr. Fuji's house."

"Excellent, let's get this missive to him and take care of your weed problem." Jeremiah said triumphantly.

She had to giggle at him and when he looked at her confused she clarified, "it's just Gloom is known as a 'weed' Pokemon so your play on words, or punt or whatever was funny.' she giggled again.

Silly rolled his eyes from behind them and blew a rasberry.

He smiled too, "I think it's a pun, what you mean." he knocked on the door, "I'm glad you liked it."

Before she could respond the door opened but it was not an old man who answered, rather it was a despondant young woman. "Hello...how can I help you?"

They both stood confused, "Umm is this the house of Mr. Fuji?" he asked confounded.

"Yes but he hasn't been home since this morning. I'm not sure where he is, I must admit to be getting worried. Oh I'm sorry would you like to come in?" She asked kindly.

Natalie wasn't sure what to do next so she just started, " Uh su-."

But she was cut off by Jeremiah pinching her arm and saying, "No no we must be on our way, but thank you." He said curtly.

The woman nodded absentmindedly and he led her away. When they walked a short distance from the house she had had enough of his grip on her arm and tugged it away. "What the heck was that?" she barked irritably.

He looked around before he said, "I want to get rid of this missive and take care of your problem so we can move on on our journey. No time for tea, no more time with Gloom . We need to move."

"GLOOM! LOOM OM GLOOM!" Silly yelled and stamped his foot.

"We're gonna find Mr. Fuji soon! Then you can leave!" Natalie screamed and Taz lost his temper...again and flew at Silly, his tail accidentally smacking Airwolf in the process and launched a huge Ember at the Gloom that made him fall backward.

"Taz stop it!" she shrieked. She tried, and missed grabbing his tail facilitating her own landing in the dirt.

Airwolf was screeching as Jeremiah dived and snagged Taz's tail bending it downward as not to burn his face. "I'M SICK OF THIS DRAMA!" He screamed. At the same time Taz reared back in pain "OOWRR!"

Natalie lifted her face from the dirt and puffed dust up in time to see Silly growling and running as fast as he could Northward.

She coughed and pushed herself up on her knees, "Silly! Come back!" She tried to go after him but was distracted by Taz roaring "GERR OFF!" Airwolf dived in and was screeching and flapping his wings around Taz. Jeremiah released Taz's tail and at the same moment both trainers screamed "STOP!"

Since Natalie was standing right beside Taz's horns he stopped moving immediately even though Airwolf flailed around for a few seconds longer he eventually calmed down too.

"That. Damn. PLANT!" he yelled. "Well he's gone now- what's wrong?" he asked.

She froze for a moment looking in the direction where Silly went and then started running as fast as she could in that direction.

"What the hell? C'mon Airwolf." he said chasing after her. On his longer legs he caught up to her soon and gasping asked, "You can't... seriously be chasing... after him to reason with him?"

She dug her heels into the ground so fast that there was a large dust cloud and he tripped and landed on his face when he looked back at her. Airwolf and Taz both guffawed at his lack of grace but she grabbed his hand and pulled him up. "Hell. No. I'm just chasing him down because I want to give him one last kick, besides... we're still looking for Mr. Fuji right?"

"...Right." he said unsure of what she meant.

"Well maybe we could start looking in the direction Gloom went and kill two birds with one stone?" she said with a wicked grin.

Airwolf screeched indignantly but Jeremiah bawled with laughter. "Race ya!" he said and tore off.

"Oh no you don't!" she said with a smile and ran off after him leaving their two Pokemon completely confused.

They looked at each other. "I don't want trainerrrss complaining about my temperrr when they ssswitch moodsss like that."

"I agree." he cawed. And they both tore off after their trainers.

They ran till they reached the town, despite their lungs burning. In the distance inbetween the road leading Northward out of town and close to an ominous tower they saw a Gloom.

"Is that him?" he gasped.

"There's only one way to find out, HEY SILLY!" she yelled.

When he looked up and squeaked and ran for the tower they took that as a confirmation and hastened after him despite the deprecation of their lungs. Their two Pokemon close behind.

The Gloom plunged into the dark entryway of the tower with the group nipping at his heels.


End file.
